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The Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved adding three new election precincts and adjusting other precinct boundaries to comply with Texas Election Code.

The changes stem from population growth in some areas, the City of Tyler or City of Lindale annexing other areas, along with changes needed due to redistricting, County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon said.

Smith County’s election precincts will increase from 72 to 75. All three precincts being split are Republican, Allcon said.

The precinct boundaries are required to be reviewed every two years.

The changes will become effective Jan. 1, 2024.

It will not affect the May 6 city/school district election.

None of these changes will affect what is on a voter’s ballot, except for the race of precinct chair in the Primary Elections, according to Allcon.

The changes will not affect who a resident would vote for Smith County commissioner, constable, mayor, city councilmember or any other local races decided by boundaries, Allcon said.

“There are three sections that we’re taking a look at,” Allcon said.

Allcon made a presentation to review sections 42.005, 42.006 and 42.007.

Smith County is in compliance with 42.005, which states that a county election precinct, including a consolidated precinct, may not contain territory from more than one of each of the following types of territorial units:

• A commissioners precinct
• A justice precinct
• A congressional district
• A state representative district
• A state senatorial district
• A State Board of Education District

Section 42.006 concerns population requirements. The code states that a county election precinct must contain at least 100 but not more than 5,000 registered voters.

Three precincts are near 5,000, and one falls under the 100 registered voters. Precinct 0005 has a population of 4,224, Precinct 0030 has 4,293 and Precinct 41 has 4,452. Allcon said splitting the precincts ensures the county stays in compliance. Precinct 82 has 58 registered voters.

“Precinct 82 is smushed between a House District line and a commissioner line,” Allcon said. “Because of that, we cannot move 82 into either Precinct 7 or Precinct 60,” she said. “We’re stuck leaving that there until the redistricting.”

Texas Election Code Section 42.007 involves combining incorporated and unincorporated territories.

Precincts 0031, 0033, 0037, 0042, 0057, 0058 and 0074 need to be adjusted to meet the code.

“We’ve looked through, and we found a few that we can move, and it does not affect very many voters at all, but because it’s part of the Texas Election Code, we do have to go ahead and switch those lines a little bit,” Allcon said.

The commissioners court approved the following precincts for boundary changes:

· Precincts 0005, 0030 and 41 due to population size.

· Precincts 0031, 0033, 0037, 0042, 0057, 0058 and 0074, where the City of Tyler’s incorporated territory meets the unincorporated county territory.

· Precinct 0015 to match the City of Hideaway city limits with the precinct boundary.

· Precinct 0019 to match the City of Lindale city limits with the precinct boundary.

To view Allcon’s presentation to the court, visit www.smith-county.com/home/showpublisheddocument/17459/.638174142105975182ment/17459/638174142105975182