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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to signature verification on an early voting ballot voted |
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by mail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 87.027(i), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(i) The signature verification committee shall compare the |
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signature on each carrier envelope certificate, except those signed |
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for a voter by a witness, with the signature on the voter's ballot |
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application to determine whether the signatures are those of the |
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voter. The committee shall also compare the signatures with each |
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signature of the voter obtained from the Department of Public |
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Safety and on file with the county clerk or voter registrar. The |
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committee may also compare the signatures with any two or more |
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signatures of the voter made within the preceding six years and on |
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file with the county clerk or voter registrar to determine whether |
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the signatures are those of the voter. Except as provided by |
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Subsection (l), a determination under this subsection that the |
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signatures are not those of the voter must be made by a majority |
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vote of the committee's membership. The committee shall place the |
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jacket envelopes, carrier envelopes, and applications of voters |
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whose signatures are not those of the voter in separate containers |
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from those of voters whose signatures are those of the voter. The |
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committee chair shall deliver the sorted materials to the early |
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voting ballot board at the time specified by the board's presiding |
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judge. |
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SECTION 2. Section 87.041, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e-1) to read as follows: |
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(e-1) In making the determination under Subsection (b)(2), |
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the board shall also compare the signatures with each signature of |
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the voter obtained from the Department of Public Safety and on file |
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with the county clerk or voter registrar. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |