Sec. 33.052. HOURS OF SERVICE AT PRECINCT POLLING PLACE. (a) A watcher at a precinct polling place may begin service at any time after the presiding judge arrives at the polling place on election day and may remain at the polling place until the presiding judge and the clerks complete their duties there. A watcher that serves for more than five continuous hours may serve at the polling place during the hours the watcher chooses, except that if the watcher is present at the polling place when ballots are counted, the watcher may not leave until the counting is complete.

(b) For purposes of this section, a watcher is considered to have served continuously if the watcher leaves the polling place for the purpose of using a wireless communication device prohibited from use in the polling place under Section 61.014 and the watcher promptly returns.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 472, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 36, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 254, Sec. 1, 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 697 (H.B. 1921), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 27.002(2), eff. September 1, 2009.