|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the deadline for submitting a federal postcard |
|
|
application to the early voting clerk. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subsections (e), (f), and (i), Section 101.004, |
|
|
Election Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(e) An applicant who otherwise complies with applicable |
|
|
requirements is entitled to receive a full ballot to be voted by |
|
|
mail under this chapter if: |
|
|
(1) the applicant submits a federal postcard |
|
|
application to the early voting clerk on or before: |
|
|
(A) the 30th day before election day; or |
|
|
(B) for an applicant described by Section |
|
|
101.001(2)(A) or (B), the 20th day before election day; and |
|
|
(2) the application contains the information that is |
|
|
required for registration under Title 2. |
|
|
(f) The applicant is entitled to receive only a federal |
|
|
ballot to be voted by mail under Chapter 114 if: |
|
|
(1) the applicant submits the federal postcard |
|
|
application to the early voting clerk after the date provided by |
|
|
Subsection (e)(1) [30th day before election day] and before the |
|
|
sixth day before election day; and |
|
|
(2) the application contains the information that is |
|
|
required for registration under Title 2. |
|
|
(i) Except as provided by Subsection (l), for purposes of |
|
|
determining the date a federal postcard application is submitted to |
|
|
the early voting clerk, an application is considered to be |
|
|
submitted on the date it is placed and properly addressed in the |
|
|
United States mail. An application mailed from an Army/Air Force |
|
|
Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) is considered placed in |
|
|
the United States mail. The date indicated by the post office |
|
|
cancellation mark, including a United States military post office |
|
|
cancellation mark, is considered to be the date the application was |
|
|
placed in the mail unless proven otherwise. For purposes of an |
|
|
application made under: |
|
|
(1) Subsection (e)(1)(A) [(e)]: |
|
|
(A) [(1)] an application that does not contain a |
|
|
cancellation mark is considered to be timely if it is received by |
|
|
the early voting clerk on or before the 22nd day before election |
|
|
day; and |
|
|
(B) [(2)] if the 30th day before the date of an |
|
|
election is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, |
|
|
an application is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the |
|
|
early voting clerk on or before the next regular business day; and |
|
|
(2) Subsection (e)(1)(B): |
|
|
(A) an application that does not contain a |
|
|
cancellation mark is considered to be timely if it is received by |
|
|
the early voting clerk on or before the 15th day before election |
|
|
day; and |
|
|
(B) if the 20th day before the date of an election |
|
|
is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, an |
|
|
application is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the |
|
|
early voting clerk on or before the next regular business day. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
an election held on or after January 1, 2008. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |