| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the registration of voters at a polling place and |
|
|
related procedures. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 12.007. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER |
|
|
REGISTRARS. An election officer serving a polling place for early |
|
|
voting by personal appearance is a deputy voter registrar and has |
|
|
the same authority as a regular deputy registrar. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Section 62.0015 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 62.0015. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter |
|
|
registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are |
|
|
open. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Section 63.010 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE. (a) A person |
|
|
who would be eligible to vote in an election under Section 11.001, |
|
|
but for the requirement to be a registered voter, shall be accepted |
|
|
during voting by personal appearance for voting the ballot for the |
|
|
precinct of the person's residence as shown by the identification |
|
|
presented if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person: |
|
|
(1) submits a voter registration application that |
|
|
complies with Section 13.002 to an election officer at the polling |
|
|
place; and |
|
|
(2) presents as proof of residence a form of photo |
|
|
identification described by Section 63.0101(a) that states the |
|
|
person's current address. |
|
|
(b) The election officer shall return the original proof of |
|
|
residence to the voter. |
|
|
(c) A person voting under this section shall vote a |
|
|
provisional ballot in the manner provided by Section 63.011 except |
|
|
that the person is not required to submit the affidavit under |
|
|
Section 63.011(a). |
|
|
(d) For each registration corresponding to a ballot cast |
|
|
under this section, the voter registrar shall review the |
|
|
application and determine whether the applicant is eligible for |
|
|
registration as provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 13. A |
|
|
registration approved under this subsection takes effect on the |
|
|
date the vote was cast. |
|
|
(e) The secretary of state may by rule: |
|
|
(1) designate additional documents that a person may |
|
|
offer to prove the person's residence to register and vote under |
|
|
this section; and |
|
|
(2) prescribe procedures to implement this section. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 65.051(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The early voting ballot board shall verify and count |
|
|
provisional ballots as provided by this subchapter not later than |
|
|
the 10th [ninth] day after the date of an election. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 67.003(b), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b) Each [Except as provided by Subsection (c), each] local |
|
|
canvassing authority shall convene to conduct the local canvass at |
|
|
the time set by the canvassing authority's presiding officer not |
|
|
later than the 14th [11th] day after election day and not earlier |
|
|
than the later of: |
|
|
(1) the third day after election day; |
|
|
(2) the date on which the early voting ballot board has |
|
|
verified and counted all provisional ballots, if a provisional |
|
|
ballot has been cast in the election; or |
|
|
(3) the date on which all timely received ballots cast |
|
|
from addresses outside of the United States are counted, if a ballot |
|
|
to be voted by mail in the election was provided to a person outside |
|
|
of the United States. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot |
|
|
by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place, |
|
|
the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or |
|
|
registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications |
|
|
necessary for the conduct of early voting. |
|
|
SECTION 7. Section 67.003(c), Election Code, is repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |