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Texas Government Code - Section 51.501. Joint Clerks

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§ 51.501. JOINT CLERKS.  (a) Except as otherwise provided 
by this section, a county with a population of less than 8,000 shall 
elect a single clerk to perform the duties of the district clerk and 
the county clerk.
	(b)  The offices of county clerk and district clerk may 
remain separate if a majority of the qualified voters in the county 
vote to keep the offices separate at an election held for that 
purpose.  The commissioners court of the county may hold a special 
election for that purpose on a uniform election date authorized by 
law that occurs not later than the 30th day before the date of the 
regular primary election that precedes the expiration of the 
constitutional term of office for the clerk.  Notice of the special 
election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation 
in the county not later than the 20th day before the date scheduled 
for the election.  The question may be presented to the voters again 
immediately before the expiration of each subsequent 
constitutional term of office of the separate clerk.  The special 
election may not prevent a county clerk, district clerk, or joint 
clerk from serving the full term of office to which the clerk was 
elected.
	(c)  The commissioners court of a county that has a 
population of 6,000 to 6,125 shall determine whether the county 
shall have a joint clerk but may not take action to prevent a 
district clerk, county clerk, or joint clerk from serving the full 
term of office to which the clerk was elected.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.  Amended 
by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 597, § 69, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 
2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, § 17, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Last modified: August 11, 2007