77R14381 E By Madden H.B. No. 1819 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1819: By Madden C.S.H.B. No. 1819 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the use of write-in absentee ballots by certain 1-3 uniformed services and overseas personnel. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 105.002(a), Election Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to 1-8 allow a voter to apply for and cast a state write-in ballot before 1-9 the time a voter may receive a regular ballot to be voted by mail 1-10 if the voter: 1-11 (1) is: 1-12 (A) a member of the armed forces of the United 1-13 States, or the spouse or a dependent of a member; 1-14 (B) a member of the merchant marine of the 1-15 United States, or the spouse or a dependent of a member; 1-16 (C) a member of the commissioned corps of the 1-17 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the spouse or a 1-18 dependent of a member; 1-19 (D) a member of the commissioned corps of the 1-20 United States Public Health Service, or the spouse or a dependent 1-21 of a member; or 1-22 (E) domiciled in this state but temporarily 1-23 living outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 1-24 District of Columbia; 2-1 (2) is unable to cast a ballot on election day or 2-2 during the regular period for early voting because of a military or 2-3 other contingency that precludes normal mail delivery; and 2-4 (3) makes an application on an official federal 2-5 postcard application form that: 2-6 (A) indicates that the person desires a state 2-7 write-in ballot; and 2-8 (B) contains the information that is required 2-9 for registration under Title 2. 2-10 SECTION 2. Chapter 105, Election Code, is amended by adding 2-11 Section 105.003 to read as follows: 2-12 Sec. 105.003. USE OF FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR 2-13 FEDERAL OFFICES. (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe 2-14 procedures to allow a voter who qualifies to vote by a federal 2-15 write-in absentee ballot to vote for all federal offices in any 2-16 election held in this state. 2-17 (b) A federal write-in absentee ballot transmission envelope 2-18 submitted by an unregistered voter serves as a temporary voter 2-19 registration by the applicant only for the purpose of voting under 2-20 this section in the election for which the absentee ballot is 2-21 submitted if: 2-22 (1) the envelope contains the information that is 2-23 required for registration under Title 2; and 2-24 (2) the person submits the envelope to the early 2-25 voting clerk on or before the 30th day before election day. 2-26 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.