BILL ANALYSIS
By: Jones, Jesse
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Election Code currently provides for certain instances where a voter who moves to a new county is authorized to cast a limited ballot. This provision applies to individuals who would have been eligible to vote in the former county had they not moved and for whom a voter registration has not yet taken effect in the new county. Current law does not ensure, however, that these individuals were previously registered to vote or that they will be registered to vote in the new county for subsequent elections. CSHB 2454 modifies provisions relating to the limited ballot to close these loopholes.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
CSHB 2454 amends the Election Code by adding the requirement that a person was registered to vote in the county of former residence when the voter changed residence to the existing qualifications for voting a limited ballot after changing county of residence. The bill requires the secretary of state to prescribe the form of the statement required to be executed for voting a limited ballot and authorizes the statement to include a space for disclosure of information necessary to register the individual to vote.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute modifies the original by removing the requirement that a person reside in the new county of residence for 90 days or less, in order to be eligible to vote a limited ballot. The substitute adds the provision requiring the person to have been registered to vote in the former county. The substitute also adds the requirement that the secretary of state prescribe the form of the statement required for voting a limited ballot and adds the provision authorizing this statement to include a space for information necessary to register the individual to vote.