Sec. 26.087. ELECTION FOR APPROVAL OF REGIONAL OR AREA-WIDE SYSTEM OR SYSTEMS. (a) After the commission under Sections 26.082 and 26.083 of this code, enters an order: defining an area for a regional or area-wide system or systems; designating a regional entity to operate the regional or area-wide system or systems; and appointing a presiding judge for the election, an election shall be held within the boundaries of the proposed regional or area-wide system or systems to be operated by the designated regional entity upon the filing of a timely and sufficient request for an election except as provided in Subsection (i) of this section.

(b) Any person located within the boundaries of the proposed regional or area-wide system or systems requesting an election for the approval of the proposed regional or area-wide system or systems to be operated by the designated regional entity shall file a written request with the commission within 30 days of the date the commission enters an order under Section 26.083 of this code. The request shall include a petition signed by 50 persons holding title to the land within the proposed regional or area-wide system or systems, as indicated by the county tax rolls.

(c) Notice of the election shall state the day and place or places for holding the election, and the proposition to be voted on. The notice shall be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper with general circulation in the county or counties in which the regional or area-wide system or systems is to be located. The first publication of the notice shall be at least 14 days before the day set for the election. Notice of the election shall be given to the local governments and to owners and operators of any waste collection, treatment, and disposal systems who in the judgment of the commission may be affected.

(d) Absentee balloting in the election shall begin 10 days before the election and shall end as provided in the Texas Election Code. The ballots for the election shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the regional or area-wide system to be operated by the designated regional entity.

(e) Immediately after the election, the presiding judge shall make returns of the result to the executive director. The executive director shall canvass the returns and report to the commission his findings of the results at the earliest possible time.

(f) If a majority of the votes cast in the election favor the creation of the regional or area-wide system or systems operated by the designated regional entity, then the commission shall declare the regional system is created and enter the results in its minutes. If a majority of the votes cast in the election are against the creation of the regional or area-wide system or systems operated by the designated regional entity, then the commission shall declare that the regional system was defeated and enter the result in its minutes.

(g) The order canvassing the results of the confirmation election shall contain a description of the regional system's boundaries and shall be filed in the deed records of the county or counties in which the regional system is located.

(h) The legislature, through the General Appropriations Act, may provide funds for the conduct of elections required under this section. If no funds are appropriated for this purpose, the costs of conducting the election shall be assessed by the commission.

(i) This subsection applies to regional or area-wide system or systems and regional entities which have been designated prior to the effective date of this Act. An election to approve creation of a regional or area-wide system or systems and the designation of a regional entity to operate those systems as provided in this section shall not be required for those regional systems or entities to which this subsection applies.

Added by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 256, ch. 121, Sec. 3, eff. Aug. 29, 1977. Renumbered from Sec. 21.206 and amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 1.096, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 977, Sec. 27, eff. June 19, 1987.