Monitoring the Session

HB 1834

Guillen Paper Ballot Bill Covers Only Newly Adopted Systems

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Ryan GuillenRHouse 31
Why it's charged
The hole

THE TEXT

…“may only adopt a voting system that requires paper ballots for all elections held in the county”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The paper-ballot rule is tied to adopting a system, not to using one. A small county that already runs a system without paper ballots may be able to keep it, even though the caption promises required use of paper ballots.

The hole

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the required use of paper ballots in certain counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Counties under 75,000 need a printer at every polling place. A paperless system already running may stay.

The bill requires election authorities in Texas counties with fewer than 75,000 people to keep a working printer at every polling place so they can print extra ballots. It also says those counties may only adopt a voting system that uses paper ballots for all elections. It touches county election officials and voters in smaller counties, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2974 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2974 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 14, 2025 and referred to the House Elections committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1834 · 2025-01-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

ITEM

relating to the required use of paper ballots in certain counties.

WHAT IT DOES

Counties under 75,000 need a printer at every polling place. A paperless system already running may stay.

The bill requires election authorities in Texas counties with fewer than 75,000 people to keep a working printer at every polling place so they can print extra ballots. It also says those counties may only adopt a voting system that uses paper ballots for all elections. It touches county election officials and voters in smaller counties, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

…“may only adopt a voting system that requires paper ballots for all elections held in the county”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The paper-ballot rule is tied to adopting a system, not to using one. A small county that already runs a system without paper ballots may be able to keep it, even though the caption promises required use of paper ballots.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Elections
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Ryan Guillen

Donors

Frontera Texas PAC$160KTexas Sands PAC$121KAssociated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$23K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Frontera Texas PAC$160,007.97

Frontera Texas PAC

$160,007.97

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$160,007.97
Total
$160,007.97
Other filed descriptions $73,500.00mail $40,000.00mailing $19,429.94texting $18,144.37digital $8,211.55printing $722.11

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 30, 2025 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033369, 101062168, 101070155, 101073001.

Texas Sands PAC$120,875.00

Texas Sands PAC

$120,875.00

Cash
$113,500.00
Paid by others
$7,375.00
Total
$120,875.00
polling $7,375.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 25, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989191, 101033369, 101062168, 101073001.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$22,795.90

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$22,795.90

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$22,795.90
Total
$22,795.90
polling $15,000.00Other filed descriptions $7,352.14texting $443.76

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 15, 2025 to Sep 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033369, 101070155.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Frontera Texas PAC

$160,007.97

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$160,007.97
Total
$160,007.97
Other filed descriptions $73,500.00mail $40,000.00mailing $19,429.94texting $18,144.37digital $8,211.55printing $722.11

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 30, 2025 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033369, 101062168, 101070155, 101073001.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$120,875.00

Cash
$113,500.00
Paid by others
$7,375.00
Total
$120,875.00
polling $7,375.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 25, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989191, 101033369, 101062168, 101073001.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$22,795.90

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$22,795.90
Total
$22,795.90
polling $15,000.00Other filed descriptions $7,352.14texting $443.76

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 15, 2025 to Sep 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033369, 101070155.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 2974

by Rep. Guillen, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 14, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to the required use of paper ballots in certain counties.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 14, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Elections: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Elections · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Elections--Voting Systems

Text

The text as introduced · 162 words

89R31 LRM-D

By: Guillen
H.B. No. 1834

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the required use of paper ballots in certain counties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 51, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.037 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.037. PAPER BALLOT PRINTER REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN

COUNTIES. An authority holding an election in a county with a

population of less than 75,000 must maintain an operational printer

at each polling place for the purpose of printing additional

ballots.

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 123, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 123.010 to read as follows:

Sec. 123.010. CERTAIN ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS PROHIBITED

FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES. An authority holding elections in a county

with a population of less than 75,000 may only adopt a voting system

that requires paper ballots for all elections held in the county.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.