By: Miller H.B. No. 929
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain early voting procedures.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 67.003(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) 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 [For
an election held on the uniform election date in May, the
local canvass must occur] not later than the 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 2. Section 84.011, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) In addition to the requirements imposed by Subsection
(a), the officially prescribed application form for an early voting
ballot must include a space for the voter to provide a change of
residence address within the county, if applicable.
SECTION 3. Section 86.001, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) If the application includes a change of address within
the county, the early voting clerk shall notify the voter registrar
of the change and the registrar shall update the voter's
registration accordingly.
SECTION 4.
Section 86.002, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the clerk is not
required to provide a form for a statement of residence to a voter
who indicated a change of address within the county on the voter's
application for an early voting ballot to be voted by mail.
SECTION 5. Section 101.057, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 101.057. RETURN OF VOTED BALLOT. (a) A ballot voted
under this subchapter may be returned to the early voting clerk by
mail, common or contract carrier, or courier.
(b) A ballot voted by a voter described by Section
101.001(2)(A) or (B) shall be counted if the ballot arrives at the
address on the carrier envelope not later than the sixth day after
the date of the election, except that if that date falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, then the
deadline is extended to the next regular business day.
SECTION 6. Section 67.003(a), Election Code, is repealed.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.