Sec. 231.106. PETITION; VERIFICATION. (a) A petition for a local option election must include a statement worded substantially as follows and located on each page of the petition preceding the space reserved for signatures: "This petition is to request that an election be held in (name of county) to authorize the county to adopt zoning and building construction ordinances for the areas in the county around (name of the appropriate lake)."

(b) To be valid, a petition must be signed by registered voters of the county in a number equal to at least 10 percent of the number of votes received by all candidates for governor in each affected precinct in the most recent gubernatorial general election. The petition must also include each signer's current voter registration number, printed name, and residence address, including zip code.

(c) Each signer must enter beside the signature the date on which the petition is signed. A signature may not be counted if the signer fails to include the date or if the date of signing is before the 90th day before the date the petition is submitted to the commissioners court.

(d) Within five days after the date a petition is received in the office of the commissioners court, the commissioners court shall submit the petition for verification to the county clerk, who shall determine whether the petition meets the requirements imposed by this section. Within 30 days after the date the petition is submitted to the county clerk for verification, the county clerk shall certify in writing to the commissioners court whether the petition is valid. If the county clerk determines that the petition is invalid, the clerk shall state the reasons for that determination.

(e) If the county clerk certifies that a petition is valid, the commissioners court shall order the election to be held on the first uniform election date authorized by Section 41.001, Election Code, that occurs after the date the court receives the county clerk's certification and that allows for compliance with the time requirements prescribed by Chapter 3, Election Code.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 52(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989.