Monitoring the Session

SB 2590

bill allowing recounts of paperless ballots with no reason

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21

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 grounds for recounting paperless electronic voting system ballots.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No stated reason needed for an initial recount.

The bill rewrites the recount rule so that no stated reason is needed to get an initial recount of results from paperless electronic voting systems. It touches candidates in races counted on paperless machines, county election officials who run recounts, and the secretary of state, who must write any procedures needed. Candidates shown as losing can get a recount of paperless machine results without a specific ground, and a winning candidate can get one only in the partial-recount case the bill describes, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2590 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to grounds for recounting paperless electronic voting system ballots.

WHAT IT DOES

No stated reason needed for an initial recount.

The bill rewrites the recount rule so that no stated reason is needed to get an initial recount of results from paperless electronic voting systems. It touches candidates in races counted on paperless machines, county election officials who run recounts, and the secretary of state, who must write any procedures needed. Candidates shown as losing can get a recount of paperless machine results without a specific ground, and a winning candidate can get one only in the partial-recount case the bill describes, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

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 23, 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.

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000.00
Killam Development Ltd.$72,700.00

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 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: 101011018, 101057658.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 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: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Money

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

×

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 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: 101011018, 101057658.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 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: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

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.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 5126 by Raymond (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Voting Systems

Text

The text as introduced · 237 words

89R13900 AB-F

By: Zaffirini
S.B. No. 2590

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to grounds for recounting paperless electronic voting

system ballots.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 212.0241, Election Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 212.0241. NO GROUND REQUIRED FOR PAPERLESS ELECTRONIC

VOTING SYSTEM RECOUNT.

SECTION 2. Sections 212.0241(a), (b), and (c), Election

Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) A ground for obtaining an initial recount as prescribed

by this subchapter is not required to obtain an initial recount of

paperless electronic voting system results, subject to Subsection

(b).

(b) A candidate for nomination or election to an office may

obtain an initial recount of paperless electronic voting system

results in an election in which the person was a candidate only if

the candidate is shown by the election returns not to be nominated

or elected. However, a candidate shown to be nominated or elected

may obtain an initial recount if an opposing candidate's initial

recount petition is approved for a recount that is covered by

Section 212.131(c) and that does not include all of the voting

system precincts in the election.

(c) The secretary of state shall prescribe any procedures

necessary to accommodate the authorization to obtain a recount of

paperless electronic voting system results without a specific

ground.

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