Bill Text: TX HB1466 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an opportunity to correct a defect in an early voting ballot voted by mail.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-05 - Referred to Elections [HB1466 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB1466-Introduced.html
87R4504 SGM-F | ||
By: Hinojosa | H.B. No. 1466 |
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relating to an opportunity to correct a defect in an early voting | ||
ballot voted by mail. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 87, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 87.0271 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 87.0271. OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT DEFECT: SIGNATURE | ||
VERIFICATION COMMITTEE. (a) This section applies to an early | ||
voting ballot voted by mail: | ||
(1) for which the voter did not sign the carrier | ||
envelope certificate; | ||
(2) for which it cannot immediately be determined | ||
whether the signature on the carrier envelope certificate is that | ||
of the voter; or | ||
(3) containing incomplete information with respect to | ||
a witness. | ||
(b) Before deciding whether to accept or reject a ballot | ||
under Section 87.027, the signature verification committee shall | ||
immediately contact the voter or witness, as appropriate, to advise | ||
the voter or witness of the defect and provide an opportunity to | ||
correct the defect. | ||
(c) Subsection (b) does not apply if the signature | ||
verification committee determines that it would be impossible to | ||
correct the defect prior to the time the polls are required to close | ||
on election day. | ||
(d) The chair of the signature verification committee may | ||
appoint two committee members to take the defective ballot to the | ||
address of the voter or witness, as appropriate, to provide the | ||
voter or witness with an opportunity to correct the defect. | ||
(e) If possible, of the two members appointed under | ||
Subsection (d): | ||
(1) one must be a member of the party that received the | ||
greatest number of votes in the most recent gubernatorial election; | ||
and | ||
(2) one must be a member of the party that received the | ||
second greatest number of votes in the most recent gubernatorial | ||
election. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 87, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 87.0411 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 87.0411. OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT DEFECT: EARLY VOTING | ||
BALLOT BOARD. (a) This section applies to an early voting ballot | ||
voted by mail: | ||
(1) for which the voter did not sign the carrier | ||
envelope certificate; | ||
(2) for which it cannot immediately be determined | ||
whether the signature on the carrier envelope certificate is that | ||
of the voter; or | ||
(3) containing incomplete information with respect to | ||
a witness. | ||
(b) Before deciding whether to accept or reject a ballot | ||
under Section 87.041, the early voting ballot board shall | ||
immediately contact the voter or witness, as appropriate, to advise | ||
the voter or witness of the defect and provide an opportunity to | ||
correct the defect. | ||
(c) Subsection (b) does not apply if the early voting ballot | ||
board determines that it would be impossible to correct the defect | ||
prior to the time the polls are required to close on election day. | ||
(d) The presiding judge of the early voting ballot board may | ||
appoint two ballot board members to take the defective ballot to the | ||
address of the voter or witness, as appropriate, to provide the | ||
voter or witness with an opportunity to correct the defect. | ||
(e) If possible, of the two members appointed under | ||
Subsection (d): | ||
(1) one must be a member of the party that received the | ||
greatest number of votes in the most recent gubernatorial election; | ||
and | ||
(2) one must be a member of the party that received the | ||
second greatest number of votes in the most recent gubernatorial | ||
election. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |