Sec. 43.0685.  PETITION.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the petition required by Section 43.0681 may be signed only by a registered voter of the area proposed to be annexed.
(a-1)  If the registered voters of the area proposed to be annexed do not own more than 50 percent of the land in the area, the petition required by Section 43.0681 may also be signed by the owners of land in the area that are not registered voters.  Notwithstanding Subsection (e), the municipality may provide for an owner of land in the area that is not a resident of the area to sign the petition electronically.
(a-2)  The petition must clearly indicate that the person is signing as a registered voter of the area, an owner of land in the area, or both.
(b)  The municipality may collect signatures on the petition only during the period beginning on the 31st day after the date the governing body of the municipality adopts the resolution under Section 43.0682 and ending on the 180th day after the date the resolution is adopted.
(c)  The petition must clearly state that a person signing the petition is consenting to the proposed annexation.
(d)  The petition must include a map of and describe the area proposed to be annexed.
(e)  Signatures collected on the petition must be in writing.
(f)  Chapter 277, Election Code, applies to a petition under this section.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 6 (S.B. 6), Sec. 26, eff. December 1, 2017.