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SB914

Regular Session

Relating to authorizing certain cities and counties to change the date on which their general election for officers is held.

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies

City Councils (of qualifying municipalities) • County Commissioners Courts (of qualifying counties) • Texas Secretary of State (Election Code oversight)

SB914
Low
Relating to authorizing certain cities and counties to change the date on which their general election for officers is held.
Low Compliance Urgency
Requires routine attention
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
City CouncilsCounty Commissioners CourtsTexas Secretary of State
Primary Author: Sen. Cesar Blanco
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025.
  • Compliance Deadline: Local governing bodies must execute this change via resolution no later than December 31, 2026. Once the resolution is passed, business compliance schedules must shift immediately to the November cycle.
  • Agency Rulemaking: No state-level rulemaking required. However, local City Councils or Commissioners Courts must pass resolutions to trigger the change.

Immediate Action Plan

  • 1. Audit Geography: Confirm if your business operations or government contracts are located in the City of Alpine or Montgomery County.
  • 2. Monitor Agendas: Direct government affairs staff to monitor City Council and Commissioners Court agendas starting September 2025 for "Election Date Adjustment" resolutions.
  • 3. Adjust PAC Budgets: If the resolution passes, move allocated political contributions from Q2 (May cycle) to Q4 (November cycle) for the affected years.
  • 4. Update HR Policy: Alert facility managers in affected areas that November election days will require increased staffing flexibility beginning in 2025 or 2026.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

Government Vendors & Real Estate Developers:

  • Term Extensions: The law extends the terms of current officeholders to align with the new November date. If you have government contracts, zoning variances, or permits pending renewal in mid-2025 or mid-2026, do not anticipate a change in leadership in May. The current signatories will retain authority through November.
  • Lobbying Agreements: Review engagement letters with external lobbyists. Ensure contracts cover the extended election cycle, as the "lame duck" period will shift from Spring to Winter.

Hiring/Training

Human Resources (Voting Leave):

  • Staffing Buffers: November elections historically generate significantly higher voter turnout than May elections. If the jurisdiction moves its local election to November, expect longer wait times at polling places. You must adjust staffing schedules to accommodate extended absences for voting under Texas Election Code requirements.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

PACs and Corporate Political Activity:

  • Filing Calendar Reset: If the jurisdiction adopts the November date, the Texas Ethics Commission filing schedule for local candidates shifts. You must manually update compliance calendars:
  • Delete: 30-day and 8-day pre-election reports for May.
  • Add: 30-day and 8-day pre-election reports for November.
  • Blackout Periods: Ensure contribution blackout periods are adjusted to the fall cycle to avoid inadvertent violations.

Fees & Costs

  • No direct fee increases.
  • Indirect Costs: Potential increase in overtime costs to cover shifts during high-turnout November election days.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • The "Will They/Won't They" Gap: The law *authorizes* the change but does not *mandate* it. The authority expires on January 1, 2027. This creates a 16-month window of uncertainty where local councils may or may not shift the date. Businesses cannot finalize 2026 political budgets until the local resolution is passed.
  • Jurisdictional Scope: While Alpine is explicit, the county definition (pop. 425,000+, adjacent to 3.3M+, containing San Jacinto River) is a "bracket" designed for Montgomery County. However, rapid population changes could theoretically pull other suburban counties into this bracket before the 2026 deadline.

Need Help Understanding Implementation?

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Jan 24, 2025
Passed Senate
Mar 13, 2025
Passed House
Apr 29, 2025
Signed
May 19, 2025
TopicsCity GovernmentCity Government--generalElectionsElections--administrationElections--generalAlpine, City of
03

Senate Authors

Sen. Cesar BlancoDemocrat · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. Eddie MoralesDemocrat · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB914

Q

What does Texas SB914 do?

SB914 grants specific authority to the City of Alpine and qualifying counties (statutory description targets the Montgomery County area) to move general officer elections from the May uniform date to the November uniform date. For businesses in these jurisdictions, this legislation extends the terms of current incumbent officials and shifts the compliance calendar for political contributions, bond elections, and employee voting leave. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025.

Q

Who authored SB914?

SB914 was authored by Texas Senator Cesar Blanco during the Regular Session.

Q

When was SB914 signed into law?

SB914 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 19, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce SB914?

SB914 is enforced by City Councils (of qualifying municipalities), County Commissioners Courts (of qualifying counties) and Texas Secretary of State (Election Code oversight).

Q

How urgent is compliance with SB914?

The compliance urgency for SB914 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

Q

What is the cost impact of SB914?

The cost impact of SB914 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does SB914 address?

SB914 addresses topics including city government, city government--general, elections, elections--administration and elections--general.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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