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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of e-mail on a vote by mail application. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 84.011(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The officially prescribed application form for an early |
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voting ballot must include: |
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(1) immediately preceding the signature space the |
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statement: "I certify that the information given in this |
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application is true, and I understand that giving false information |
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in this application is a crime."; |
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(2) a statement informing the applicant of the |
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offenses prescribed by Sections 84.003 and 84.004; |
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(3) spaces for entering an applicant's voter |
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registration number and county election precinct of registration, |
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with a statement informing the applicant that failure to furnish |
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that information does not invalidate the application; and |
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(4) on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail: |
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(A) a space for an applicant applying on the |
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ground of absence from the county of residence to indicate the date |
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on or after which the applicant can receive mail at the address |
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outside the county; |
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(B) a space for indicating the fact that an |
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applicant whose application is signed by a witness cannot make the |
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applicant's mark and a space for indicating the relationship or |
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lack of relationship of the witness to the applicant; |
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(C) a space for entering an applicant's telephone |
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number and e-mail address, with a statement informing the applicant |
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that failure to furnish that information does not invalidate the |
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application; |
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(D) a space or box for an applicant applying on |
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the ground of age or disability to indicate that the address to |
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which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a facility or |
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relative described by Section 84.002(a)(3), if applicable; |
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(E) a space or box for an applicant applying on |
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the ground of confinement in jail to indicate that the address to |
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which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a relative |
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described by Section 84.002(a)(4), if applicable; |
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(F) a space for an applicant applying on the |
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ground of age or disability to indicate if the application is an |
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application under Section 86.0015; |
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(G) spaces for entering the signature, printed |
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name, and residence address of any person assisting the applicant; |
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(H) a statement informing the applicant of the |
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condition prescribed by Section 81.005; and |
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(I) a statement informing the applicant of the |
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requirement prescribed by Section 86.003(c). |
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SECTION 2. Section 86.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (f) and (f-1) to read as follows: |
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(f) The early voting clerk, before rejecting an |
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application, shall make a reasonable effort to contact the |
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applicant by e-mail at any e-mail address provided on the |
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application, to ask questions about the application. The applicant |
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may make clerical corrections to the application by e-mail, |
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including correcting the applicant's date of birth, correcting |
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spelling of the applicant's name, or providing additional |
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information to make corrections to an address or county of |
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residence. If an applicant has submitted an address that is not an |
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acceptable mailing address, the applicant may submit to the early |
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voting clerk a mailing address by e-mail. If the early voting clerk |
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does not receive a response before the fourth day after the date the |
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clerk sent an e-mail to the e-mail address provided on the |
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application, the clerk may reject the application. The early |
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voting clerk shall attach to and maintain with the original |
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application submissions and corrections provided by e-mail under |
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this subsection. |
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(f-1) An applicant may not change the address or county of |
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residence submitted on the original application to a different |
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address or county of residence by e-mail. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |