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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. Sections 87.027(i) and (j), Election Code, are |
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amended to 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 [same person]. The committee may also compare the signatures |
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with any two or more signatures of the voter made within the |
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preceding six years and on file with the general custodian of |
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election records or voter registrar [the signature on the voter's
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registration application] to confirm that the signatures are those |
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of the voter and may [same person but may not] use the signatures |
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[registration application signature] to determine that the |
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signatures are not those of the voter [same person]. Except as |
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provided by Subsection (l), a determination under this subsection |
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that the signatures are not those of the voter [same person] must be |
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made by a majority vote of the committee's membership. The |
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committee shall place the jacket envelopes, carrier envelopes, and |
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applications of voters whose signatures are not those of the voter |
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[same person] in separate containers from those of voters whose |
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signatures are those of the voter [same person]. The committee |
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chair shall deliver the sorted materials to the early voting ballot |
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board at the time specified by the board's presiding judge. |
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(j) If a signature verification committee is appointed, the |
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early voting ballot board shall follow the same procedure for |
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accepting the early voting ballots voted by mail as in an election |
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without a signature verification committee, except that the board |
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may not determine whether a voter's signatures on the carrier |
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envelope certificate and ballot application are those of the voter |
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[same person] if the committee has determined that the signatures |
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are those of the voter [same person]. If the committee has |
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determined that the signatures are not those of the voter [same
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person], the board may make a determination that the signatures are |
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those of the voter [same person] by a majority vote of the board's |
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membership. |
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SECTION 2. Section 87.041(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) In making the determination under Subsection (b)(2), |
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the board 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 general custodian of election records or voter |
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registrar to determine if [confirm that] the signatures are those |
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of the voter [same person but may not use the signatures to
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determine that the signatures are not those of the same person]. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect December 1, 2017. |