bill letting mail voters hand-deliver ballots during early voting

The text as introduced · 598 words

89R1947 MPF-D

By: Cole
H.B. No. 1856

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the method of returning a ballot to be voted by mail.

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

SECTION 1. Section 4.003, Election Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as

follows:

(b) In addition to any other notice given for an election

under Subsection (a), not later than the 21st day before election

day, a county shall post a copy of a notice of the election given by

the county or provided to the county under Section 4.008(a)[ , which

must include the location of each polling place, ] on the county's

Internet website, if the county maintains a website. An authority

responsible for giving notice of an election may post a copy of the

notice on the bulletin board used for posting notices of the

meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision that

the authority serves. If a county does not maintain a website, the

authority responsible for giving notice of the election shall post

a copy of a notice of the election on the bulletin board used for

posting notices of the meetings of the governing body of the

political subdivision that the authority serves. For each precinct

that is combined to form a consolidated precinct under Section

42.008, not later than the 10th day before election day, the

authority shall also post, at the polling place used in the

preceding general election, notice of the precinct's consolidation

and the location of the polling place in the consolidated precinct.

A notice posted under this subsection must remain posted

continuously through election day.

(b-1) The notice given under Subsection (b) must include:

(1) the location of each polling place that will be

open on election day;

(2) the location of each polling place that will be

open for early voting; and

(3) each location that will be available to voters to

deliver a marked ballot under Section 86.006(a-3).

SECTION 2. Section 86.006, Election Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a) and (a-1) and adding Subsections (a-3) and

(a-4) to read as follows:

(a) A marked ballot voted under this chapter must be

returned to the early voting clerk in the official carrier

envelope. The carrier envelope may be delivered in another envelope

and must be transported and delivered only by:

(1) mail;

(2) common or contract carrier; or

(3) subject to Subsection [ Subsections ] (a-1) [ and

(a-2) ], in-person delivery by the voter who voted the ballot.

(a-1) The voter may deliver a marked ballot in person to the

early voting clerk's office or to another designated location

[ only ] while the polls are open on election day or during the early

voting period . A voter who delivers a marked ballot in person may

return only the voter's own ballot and must present an acceptable

form of identification described by Section 63.0101.

(a-3) The county clerk may designate any of the following

locations for delivering marked ballots under Subsection (a-1):

(1) the early voting clerk's office;

(2) any polling place open for early voting or for

election day; or

(3) any suitable location that meets criteria

prescribed by the secretary of state.

(a-4) To ensure that locations designated for delivering

marked ballots are accessible and secure, the secretary of state

shall adopt rules establishing criteria for a location that a

county clerk may designate under Subsection (a-3).

SECTION 3. Section 86.006(a-2), Election Code, is repealed.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.