HB 1547: Liberty County; board of elections and registration; provide staggered terms for certain future appointees

Liberty County's board of elections and registration currently has members appointed to four-year terms. Under existing law, three members appointed by the county's governing authority (the county commission) all have terms ending December 31, 2026, meaning the county could end up replacing them all at the same time. This bill changes that. When those three members' current terms expire at the end of 2026, their successors would serve a shorter, two-year term ending December 31, 2028, instead of a full four-year term. After that one-time two-year term, future successors to those seats would go back to serving regular four-year terms. The goal is to spread out when those seats come up for reappointment so they do not all expire in the same year going forward.

• Amends the 2003 law creating the Liberty County board of elections and registration to change how three specific board seats are filled after 2026.
• Shortens the next term for successors to the three county-commission-appointed seats from four years to two years, ending December 31, 2028.
• Returns those seats to the standard four-year term cycle for all appointments made after the initial two-year terms end.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these changes.

This bill directly affects the Liberty County board of elections and registration, specifically the three board members appointed by the Liberty County governing authority (county commission) and whoever succeeds them starting in 2027.

By breaking up a batch of same-year term expirations, the bill prevents Liberty County from having to replace multiple election board members all at once, which can affect board continuity and institutional knowledge during future election cycles.

• Section 1 amends Section 2, subsection (c) of the 2003 Liberty County elections board Act to add a new paragraph creating staggered terms.
• New paragraph (2) applies specifically to the three members appointed by the county governing authority under subsection (b)(4) whose terms end December 31, 2026.
• Their successors will serve an initial two-year term ending December 31, 2028, rather than the standard four-year term.
• After that two-year term, future successors to those same seats revert to the normal four-year term structure under paragraph (1).
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 654
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-25Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2026-03-23Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2026-03-20House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• Al Williams (D, HD-168)Patrocinador principal
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes20 de marzo de 2026

   153 a favor, 0 en contra (14 sin votar, 9 ausentes)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #734

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado25 de marzo de 2026

   50 a favor, 0 en contra (2 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #799

• Liberty County
• election board terms
• local government appointments
• election administration