Alvarado Bill Lets Texans Register To Vote Online

The text as introduced · 508 words

89R2208 MPF-D

By: Alvarado, et al.
S.B. No. 258

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to electronic voter registration.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:

Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The

secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who

has an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card

issued in this state to complete a voter registration application

over the Internet from the official website of this state. The

websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public

Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application

on the official website of this state.

(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must:

(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on

the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;

(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature

on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card

for voter registration purposes;

(3) provide the information required under Section

13.002(c); and

(4) provide the audit number and date of issuance of

the applicant's Texas driver's license or personal identification

card issued by the Department of Public Safety.

(c) For each application the program shall:

(1) require that a digital copy of the applicant's

signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety; and

(2) compare the information provided by the applicant

against Department of Public Safety records.

(d) If the information submitted by an applicant does not

match Department of Public Safety records, the program shall:

(1) notify the applicant that the application cannot

be processed electronically; and

(2) advise the applicant to print an application and

submit it to the voter registrar of the county in which the

applicant resides by mail or personal delivery.

(e) If the information submitted by an applicant matches

Department of Public Safety records, the program shall forward the

application to the registrar of the county in which the applicant

states that the applicant resides.

(f) On receipt of an application under Subsection (e), the

registrar shall review the application in accordance with Section

13.071.

(g) An application electronically submitted under this

section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted

by mail under this title.

(h) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to

implement this section, including rules to provide for additional

security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of

applications submitted electronically.

(i) The rules adopted under Subsection (h) must require

that:

(1) the Internet website through which a person may

complete a voter registration application include a description of

the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location

on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the

application; and

(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be

used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an

application electronically under this section.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.