By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1085     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the certification of unopposed candidates for the board   of directors of the North Harris County Regional Water Authority.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Article 2, Chapter 1029, Acts of the 76th   Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is amended by adding Section   2.08 to read as follows:          Sec. 2.08.  ACTION ON CERTIFICATION OF UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES.   (a)  On receipt of the certification required by Section 2.052,   Election Code, the board may declare each unopposed candidate for   the board elected to the office.          (b)  If a declaration is made under Subsection (a), the   election is not held for that candidate's voting district.          (c)  The ballots used at a separate election held at the same   time as an election that would have been held if the candidates were   not declared elected under this section shall include the offices   and names of the candidates declared elected under this section   listed separately after the measures or contested races in the   separate election under the heading "Unopposed Candidates Declared   Elected." The candidates shall be grouped in the same relative   order prescribed for the ballot generally. No votes are cast in   connection with the candidates.          (d)  The secretary of state by rule may prescribe any   additional procedures necessary to accommodate a particular voting   system or ballot style and to facilitate the efficient and   cost-effective implementation of this section.          (e)  A certificate of election shall be issued to each   candidate in the same manner and at the same time as provided for a   candidate elected at the election. The candidate must qualify for   the office in the same manner as provided for a candidate elected at   the election.          (f)  Section 2.053, Election Code, does not apply to an   election for the board of directors of the authority.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.