Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB239 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R1632 SGM-F
2	2	By: Slaton H.B. No. 239
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to requiring a voter to be affiliated with a political
8	8	party to vote in that party's primary election or otherwise
9	9	participate in that party's affairs; creating a criminal offense.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 13.002(c), Election Code, is amended to
12	12	read as follows:
13	13	(c) A registration application must include:
14	14	(1) the applicant's first name, middle name, if any,
15	15	last name, and former name, if any;
16	16	(2) the month, day, and year of the applicant's birth;
17	17	(3) a statement that the applicant is a United States
18	18	citizen;
19	19	(4) a statement that the applicant is a resident of the
20	20	county;
21	21	(5) a statement that the applicant has not been
22	22	determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate
23	23	jurisdiction to be:
24	24	(A) totally mentally incapacitated; or
25	25	(B) partially mentally incapacitated without the
26	26	right to vote;
27	27	(6) a statement that the applicant has not been
28	28	finally convicted of a felony or that the applicant is a felon
29	29	eligible for registration under Section 13.001;
30	30	(7) the applicant's residence address or, if the
31	31	residence has no address, the address at which the applicant
32	32	receives mail and a concise description of the location of the
33	33	applicant's residence;
34	34	(8) the following information:
35	35	(A) the applicant's Texas driver's license number
36	36	or the number of a personal identification card issued by the
37	37	Department of Public Safety;
38	38	(B) if the applicant has not been issued a number
39	39	described by Paragraph (A), the last four digits of the applicant's
40	40	social security number; or
41	41	(C) a statement by the applicant that the
42	42	applicant has not been issued a number described by Paragraph (A) or
43	43	(B);
44	44	(9) if the application is made by an agent, a statement
45	45	of the agent's relationship to the applicant; [and]
46	46	(10) the city and county in which the applicant
47	47	formerly resided; and
48	48	(11) the applicant's political party affiliation, if
49	49	any.
50	50	SECTION 2. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to
51	51	read as follows:
52	52	(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
53	53	entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
54	54	registration application form, each official form must include:
55	55	(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false
56	56	information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
57	57	under state and federal law.";
58	58	(2) a space for the applicant's registration number;
59	59	(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license
60	60	number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
61	61	Department of Public Safety;
62	62	(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;
63	63	(5) a space for the applicant's social security
64	64	number;
65	65	(6) a space for the applicant's sex;
66	66	(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the
67	67	applicant's telephone number and sex is optional;
68	68	(8) a space or box for indicating whether the
69	69	applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
70	70	change in current registration information;
71	71	(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
72	72	form to make a change in current registration information to enter
73	73	the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate
74	74	spaces on the form;
75	75	(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
76	76	register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
77	77	used only for voter registration purposes;
78	78	(11) a statement that if the applicant does register
79	79	to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the
80	80	application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used
81	81	only for voter registration purposes;
82	82	(12) a space or box for indicating whether the
83	83	applicant is interested in working as an election judge;
84	84	(13) a statement warning that a conviction for making
85	85	a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum
86	86	amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount
87	87	provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [and]
88	88	(14) a space for the applicant's political party
89	89	affiliation; and
90	90	(15) any other voter registration information
91	91	required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by
92	92	the secretary of state.
93	93	SECTION 3. Section 14.001, Election Code, is amended by
94	94	adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
95	95	(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the registrar may not
96	96	issue a renewal certificate to a voter before December 31, 2023,
97	97	unless the voter's political party affiliation, if any, appears on
98	98	the list described by Section 18.005(a). The registrar must issue a
99	99	renewal certificate to each voter entitled to a renewal certificate
100	100	under this section not later than January 20, 2024. This subsection
101	101	expires January 31, 2024.
102	102	(f) A renewal certificate issued in January 2024 is
103	103	considered to have been issued in the prior year for purposes of
104	104	Subsection (c). This subsection expires December 31, 2025.
105	105	SECTION 4. Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
106	106	read as follows:
107	107	(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must
108	108	contain:
109	109	(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the
110	110	voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section
111	111	13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
112	112	(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence
113	113	has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a
114	114	concise description of the location of the voter's residence;
115	115	(3) the year of the voter's birth;
116	116	(4) the number of the county election precinct in
117	117	which the voter resides;
118	118	(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an
119	119	initial certificate;
120	120	(6) the voter's registration number;
121	121	(7) an indication of the period for which the
122	122	certificate is issued;
123	123	(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under
124	124	which the voter will receive a new certificate;
125	125	(9) a space for indicating [stamping] the voter's
126	126	political party affiliation;
127	127	(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a
128	128	person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued
129	129	is a felony;
130	130	(11) a space for the voter's signature;
131	131	(12) a statement that the voter must sign the
132	132	certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
133	133	(13) a space for the voter to correct the information
134	134	on the certificate followed by a signature line;
135	135	(14) the statement: "If any information on this
136	136	certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the
137	137	space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the
138	138	voter registrar.";
139	139	(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone
140	140	number; and
141	141	(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for
142	142	the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as
143	143	determined by the voter registrar:
144	144	(A) congressional district;
145	145	(B) state senatorial district;
146	146	(C) state representative district;
147	147	(D) commissioners precinct;
148	148	(E) justice precinct;
149	149	(F) city election precinct; and
150	150	(G) school district election precinct.
151	151	SECTION 5. Section 15.025(a), Election Code, is amended to
152	152	read as follows:
153	153	(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (d) and
154	154	Section 162.003(e), the registration of a voter described by this
155	155	subsection whose information is changed on the registration records
156	156	becomes effective as to the change on the 30th day after:
157	157	(1) the date the voter submits to the registrar a
158	158	notice of a change in registration information under Section 15.021
159	159	or a response under Section 15.053, indicating the change; or
160	160	(2) the date the voter submits a statement of
161	161	residence to an election officer under Section 63.0011 or a
162	162	registration application or change of address to an agency employee
163	163	under Chapter 20, indicating the change.
164	164	SECTION 6. Section 18.005(a), Election Code, is amended to
165	165	read as follows:
166	166	(a) Each original and supplemental list of registered
167	167	voters must:
168	168	(1) contain the voter's name, date of birth, and
169	169	registration number as provided by the statewide computerized voter
170	170	registration list;
171	171	(2) contain the voter's residence address, except as
172	172	provided by Subsections (b) and (c);
173	173	(3) be arranged alphabetically by voter name; [and]
174	174	(4) contain the notation required by Section 15.111;
175	175	and
176	176	(5) contain the political party affiliation of each
177	177	voter, if any.
178	178	SECTION 7. Section 63.011(a), Election Code, is amended to
179	179	read as follows:
180	180	(a) A person to whom Section 63.001(g), [or] 63.009, or
181	181	172.1115(c) applies may cast a provisional ballot if the person
182	182	executes an affidavit stating that the person:
183	183	(1) is a registered voter in the precinct in which the
184	184	person seeks to vote; and
185	185	(2) is eligible to vote in the election.
186	186	SECTION 8. Section 112.002, Election Code, is amended by
187	187	adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
188	188	(g) If the voter seeks a limited ballot for a party primary
189	189	election, the voter must indicate the political party the voter was
190	190	affiliated with at the address where the voter was previously
191	191	registered on the statement executed under Subsection (c). If the
192	192	early voting clerk can establish the voter's affiliation from the
193	193	previous registration, the voter is entitled to vote a limited
194	194	ballot in that party's primary.
195	195	SECTION 9. Section 142.004(a), Election Code, is amended to
196	196	read as follows:
197	197	(a) To be entitled to a place on the general election
198	198	ballot, a candidate must:
199	199	(1) make an application for a place on the ballot; and
200	200	(2) not be affiliated with a political party at the
201	201	time the application is made.
202	202	SECTION 10. Section 142.008, Election Code, is amended to
203	203	read as follows:
204	204	Sec. 142.008. STATEMENT ON PETITION. The following
205	205	statement must appear at the top of each page of a candidate's
206	206	petition: "I know the purpose of this petition. I am not
207	207	affiliated with a political party that holds a primary election
208	208	[have not voted in the general primary election or runoff primary
209	209	election of any political party that has nominated, at either
210	210	election, a candidate for the office of (insert office title) for
211	211	which (insert candidate's name) is a candidate]."
212	212	SECTION 11. Section 142.009, Election Code, is amended to
213	213	read as follows:
214	214	Sec. 142.009. PETITION TO BE CIRCULATED AFTER PRIMARY. A
215	215	signature on a candidate's petition is invalid if the signer:
216	216	(1) signed the petition on or before general primary
217	217	election day or, if a runoff primary is held for the office sought
218	218	by the candidate, on or before runoff primary election day; or
219	219	(2) is affiliated with a political party that holds a
220	220	primary election [voted in the general or runoff primary election
221	221	of a political party that made a nomination, at either primary, for
222	222	the office sought by the candidate].
223	223	SECTION 12. Section 161.005(a), Election Code, is amended
224	224	to read as follows:
225	225	(a) To be eligible to be a candidate for or to serve as an
226	226	officer of a political party, a person must:
227	227	(1) except as provided by Subsection (c), not be a
228	228	candidate for nomination or election to, or be the holder of, an
229	229	elective office of the federal, state, or county government; and
230	230	(2) if the office is a county or precinct chair of a
231	231	political party, be a qualified voter of the county and be
232	232	affiliated with that political party.
233	233	SECTION 13. Section 162.001(a), Election Code, is amended
234	234	to read as follows:
235	235	(a) A person must be affiliated with a political party to be
236	236	eligible:
237	237	(1) to serve as a delegate to or otherwise participate
238	238	in a convention held by the party under this code;
239	239	(2) to be elected as a member of or be appointed to
240	240	fill a vacancy on a state executive committee;
241	241	(3) to be appointed to fill a vacancy on a county
242	242	executive committee;
243	243	(4) to vote in the party's primary election;
244	244	(5) to be a candidate in the party's primary election;
245	245	(6) to be the party's nominee for an office elected at
246	246	the general election for state and county officers;
247	247	(7) to be a presidential elector for the political
248	248	party; or
249	249	(8) [(4)] for any other purpose within the party as
250	250	adopted by state party rules.
251	251	SECTION 14. Section 162.003, Election Code, is amended to
252	252	read as follows:
253	253	Sec. 162.003. AFFILIATION PROCEDURE [BY VOTING IN PRIMARY].
254	254	(a) A person becomes affiliated with a political party by notifying
255	255	the registrar of the person's affiliation [when the person:
256	256	[(1) is accepted to vote in the party's primary
257	257	election; or
258	258	[(2) returns an early voting or limited primary ballot
259	259	voted by mail].
260	260	(b) At the time a person registers to vote the person may:
261	261	(1) affiliate with a political party that holds a
262	262	primary election or a political party that makes its nominations by
263	263	convention regardless of whether the party has a state
264	264	organization; or
265	265	(2) indicate no affiliation with any political party.
266	266	(c) Affiliation under Subsection (b)(1) takes effect on the
267	267	first anniversary of the date the person submits a registration
268	268	application to the registrar.
269	269	(d) A registered voter who does not indicate an affiliation
270	270	with a political party of this state shall be listed as
271	271	"independent" on the voter's registration certificate and on the
272	272	list of registered voters.
273	273	(e) A registered voter may change the voter's affiliation
274	274	status by notifying the registrar as provided by Section 15.021.
275	275	The change becomes effective on the first anniversary of the date
276	276	the voter submits notice of the change to the registrar under
277	277	Section 15.021.
278	278	(f) A person may also indicate a party affiliation at the
279	279	time the person submits a federal postcard application under
280	280	Chapter 101. The affiliation takes effect at the time provided for
281	281	a change under Subsection (e).
282	282	(g) The secretary of state shall prescribe any additional
283	283	procedures necessary to implement this section.
284	284	(h) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), if a person is 18 years
285	285	of age or younger at the time the person registers to vote,
286	286	affiliation under Subsection (b)(1) takes effect on the first
287	287	election at which the person is eligible to vote following the
288	288	submission of the registration application.
289	289	(i) Notwithstanding Subsections (c) and (e), if a person
290	290	notifies the registrar of the person's affiliation not later than
291	291	December 31, 2023, the affiliation takes effect on the first
292	292	election at which the person is eligible to vote following the
293	293	submission of the registration application or change, as
294	294	applicable. This subsection expires December 31, 2024.
295	295	SECTION 15. Section 162.010(a), Election Code, is amended
296	296	to read as follows:
297	297	(a) A [Except as provided by Subsection (b), a] party
298	298	affiliation expires on cancellation of a voter's registration or at
299	299	the time a change in affiliation takes effect under Section 162.003
300	300	[at the end of the voting year in which the person became
301	301	affiliated].
302	302	SECTION 16. Section 162.013, Election Code, is amended to
303	303	read as follows:
304	304	Sec. 162.013. VOID VOTE. A vote in a primary election is
305	305	void if the voter is not affiliated with the political party holding
306	306	the primary [previously voted in a primary election of another
307	307	party or participated in a convention of another party during the
308	308	same voting year].
309	309	SECTION 17. Sections 162.014(a), (c), and (d), Election
310	310	Code, are amended to read as follows:
311	311	(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly
312	312	votes or attempts to vote in a primary election or participates or
313	313	attempts to participate in a convention of a party without being
314	314	affiliated with that party [after having voted in a primary
315	315	election or participated in a convention of another party during
316	316	the same voting year].
317	317	(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
318	318	degree if the conduct constituting an offense under Subsection (a)
319	319	consists of knowingly voting in a primary election without being
320	320	affiliated with that party [after having voted in a primary
321	321	election of another party during the same voting year].
322	322	(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if
323	323	the conduct constituting an offense under Subsection (a) consists
324	324	of knowingly attempting to vote in a primary election without being
325	325	affiliated with that party [after having voted in a primary
326	326	election of another party during the same voting year].
327	327	SECTION 18. Section 162.017(e), Election Code, is amended
328	328	to read as follows:
329	329	(e) The preregistration process must [include the statement
330	330	described by Section 162.004(a) and] require a preregistering
331	331	attendee to be affiliated [affiliate] with the party [by taking the
332	332	oath described in Section 162.007(b)].
333	333	SECTION 19. Section 172.021, Election Code, is amended by
334	334	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-3) and (h) to
335	335	read as follows:
336	336	(b) In [An application must, in] addition to complying with
337	337	Section 141.031, an application must:
338	338	(1) indicate that, at the time of the application, the
339	339	applicant is affiliated with the political party whose nomination
340	340	for office the candidate seeks; and
341	341	(2) be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee or a
342	342	petition in lieu of the filing fee that satisfies the requirements
343	343	prescribed by Section 141.062. [A political party may not require
344	344	payment of a fee as a condition to applying for a place on the ballot
345	345	as a candidate for county chair or precinct chair.]
346	346	(b-3) A political party may not require payment of a fee
347	347	under this section as a condition to applying for a place on the
348	348	ballot as a candidate for county chair or precinct chair.
349	349	(h) A signature on a petition under this section is not
350	350	valid if at the time of signing the signer is affiliated with a
351	351	political party other than the party whose nomination for office
352	352	the candidate seeks. A signature on a petition under this section
353	353	is valid if at the time of signing the signer is unaffiliated with a
354	354	political party.
355	355	SECTION 20. Section 172.026, Election Code, is amended to
356	356	read as follows:
357	357	Sec. 172.026. RESTRICTION ON PETITION SIGNER. On signing a
358	358	petition to be filed under Section 172.021, the signer becomes
359	359	ineligible to affiliate with [vote in a primary election or
360	360	participate in a convention of] another political party during the
361	361	voting year in which the primary election is held.
362	362	SECTION 21. Section 172.027, Election Code, is amended to
363	363	read as follows:
364	364	Sec. 172.027. STATEMENT ON PETITION. The following
365	365	statement must appear at the top of each page of a petition to be
366	366	filed under Section 172.021: "I know that the purpose of this
367	367	petition is to entitle (insert candidate's name) to have his or her
368	368	name placed on the ballot for the office of (insert office title,
369	369	including any place number or other distinguishing number) for the
370	370	(insert political party's name) primary election. I understand
371	371	that by signing this petition I become ineligible to affiliate with
372	372	another political party or to vote [in a primary election] or
373	373	participate in a primary election or convention of another party,
374	374	including a party not holding a primary election, during the voting
375	375	year in which this primary election is held."
376	376	SECTION 22. Section 172.086, Election Code, is amended to
377	377	read as follows:
378	378	Sec. 172.086. PLEDGE ON BALLOT. The following pledge shall
379	379	be placed on the primary election ballot above the listing of
380	380	candidates' names: "I am a (insert appropriate political party)
381	381	and understand that I am ineligible to affiliate with another
382	382	political party or to vote or participate in another political
383	383	party's primary election or convention during this voting year."
384	384	SECTION 23. Section 172.088(c), Election Code, is amended
385	385	to read as follows:
386	386	(c) A petition signer may not at the time of signing be
387	387	affiliated with another political party. A political party by rule
388	388	may provide for permitting voters who are not affiliated with any
389	389	political party to be eligible to sign a petition under this section
390	390	[restricting petition signers on the basis of party alignment or
391	391	preference].
392	392	SECTION 24. Subchapter E, Chapter 172, Election Code, is
393	393	amended by adding Section 172.1115 to read as follows:
394	394	Sec. 172.1115. AFFILIATION WITH PARTY REQUIRED. (a) The
395	395	signature roster for a primary election must state at the top of
396	396	each page: "A person commits a criminal offense if the person
397	397	knowingly votes in a primary election or participates in a
398	398	convention of a party without being affiliated with that party."
399	399	(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person may not
400	400	be accepted for voting in a primary election of a political party
401	401	unless:
402	402	(1) the list of registered voters indicates that the
403	403	person is affiliated with that political party; or
404	404	(2) the voter's registration certificate indicates
405	405	that the voter is affiliated with that political party.
406	406	(c) A person who seeks to vote in a primary election but
407	407	cannot establish the person's party affiliation under Subsection
408	408	(b) may be accepted only for provisional voting under Section
409	409	63.011.
410	410	SECTION 25. Section 172.126(g), Election Code, is amended
411	411	to read as follows:
412	412	(g) A separate set of ballot boxes or other suitable
413	413	containers approved by the secretary of state shall be used for each
414	414	party's primary, except that one set of ballot boxes or other
415	415	containers may be used in a joint primary using an electronic voting
416	416	system in which the ballots are deposited by the voters directly
417	417	into a unit of automatic tabulating equipment. [The lists of
418	418	registered voters and the voters' registration certificates shall
419	419	be marked and stamped to show the appropriate party affiliation for
420	420	each voter.] A separate list of registered voters shall be used for
421	421	each party's primary. The secretary of state by rule shall
422	422	prescribe requirements to ensure that one party's ballot is readily
423	423	distinguished from another's, which may include the use of
424	424	different colors of ink.
425	425	SECTION 26. Sections 181.006(f) and (g), Election Code, are
426	426	amended to read as follows:
427	427	(f) The following statement must appear at the top of each
428	428	page of the petition: "I know that the purpose of this petition is
429	429	to entitle the _______ Party to have its nominees placed on the
430	430	ballot in the general election for state and county officers. I am
431	431	not affiliated with another political party. [I have not voted in a
432	432	primary election or participated in a convention of another party
433	433	during this voting year, and I understand that I become ineligible
434	434	to do so by signing this petition.] I understand that signing more
435	435	than one petition to entitle a party to have its nominees placed on
436	436	the general election ballot in the same election is prohibited."
437	437	(g) A person who is affiliated with another political party
438	438	[has voted in a primary election or participated in a convention of
439	439	another party during the voting year in which the petition is
440	440	circulated] is ineligible to sign the petition, and the signature
441	441	of such a person is invalid.
442	442	SECTION 27. Section 181.031(a), Election Code, is amended
443	443	to read as follows:
444	444	(a) To be entitled to be considered for nomination by a
445	445	convention held under this chapter, a person must:
446	446	(1) make an application for nomination; and
447	447	(2) be affiliated with the political party whose
448	448	nomination for office the candidate seeks.
449	449	SECTION 28. Section 181.065, Election Code, is amended to
450	450	read as follows:
451	451	Sec. 181.065. PARTICIPANT TO BE AFFILIATED WITH PARTY
452	452	[REGISTERED VOTER]. To be eligible to participate in a precinct
453	453	convention held under this chapter, a person must be affiliated
454	454	with the political party [a registered voter of the precinct or a
455	455	precinct resident who is eligible to vote a limited ballot].
456	456	SECTION 29. Section 182.0041(a), Election Code, is amended
457	457	to read as follows:
458	458	(a) To be entitled to be considered for nomination by a
459	459	convention held under this chapter, a person must:
460	460	(1) make an application for nomination; and
461	461	(2) be affiliated with the political party whose
462	462	nomination for office the candidate seeks.
463	463	SECTION 30. Sections 192.032(f) and (g), Election Code, are
464	464	amended to read as follows:
465	465	(f) The following statement must appear at the top of each
466	466	page of the petition: "I am not affiliated with a political party
467	467	that has held [did not vote this year in] a presidential primary
468	468	election this year."
469	469	(g) A signature on the petition is invalid if the signer:
470	470	(1) signs the petition on or before the date of the
471	471	presidential primary election in the presidential election year; or
472	472	(2) is affiliated with a political party that has held
473	473	[voted in] a presidential primary election during the presidential
474	474	election year.
475	475	SECTION 31. Section 203.011, Election Code, is amended to
476	476	read as follows:
477	477	Sec. 203.011. PARTY ALIGNMENT ON BALLOT. The party
478	478	alignment of each candidate shall be printed on the official ballot
479	479	next to the candidate's name. If a candidate is affiliated with a
480	480	political party, that party shall be printed next to the
481	481	candidate's name regardless of the party alignment provided on the
482	482	application under Section 203.005(b).
483	483	SECTION 32. Sections 162.001(b), 162.004, 162.005,
484	484	162.006, 162.007, 162.008, 162.009, 162.010(b), 162.011, 162.012,
485	485	172.1141, 172.115(c), and 172.125, Election Code, are repealed.
486	486	SECTION 33. (a) Not later than October 1, 2023, the voter
487	487	registrar of each county shall mail to each registered voter in the
488	488	county notice of the affiliation requirement necessary to vote in a
489	489	party primary election or to participate in the affairs of a
490	490	political party. The notice must:
491	491	(1) inform the voter that to vote in a party primary
492	492	election or to otherwise participate in the affairs of a political
493	493	party the voter must be affiliated with that party;
494	494	(2) inform the voter of the process of affiliation
495	495	with the voter registrar and state that if a voter does not provide
496	496	an affiliation, the voter's next registration certificate will
497	497	indicate that the voter is "independent" and unable to vote in a
498	498	party's primary;
499	499	(3) include a postage paid postcard that may be
500	500	returned to the voter registrar to indicate the voter's
501	501	affiliation; and
502	502	(4) be in the form prescribed by the secretary of
503	503	state.
504	504	(b) If a registered voter does not indicate a party
505	505	affiliation before December 31, 2023, the voter registrar shall
506	506	list the voter's initial affiliation status as "independent."
507	507	(c) The change in law made by Section 18.005(a), Election
508	508	Code, as amended by this Act, requiring that each list of registered
509	509	voters must indicate the political affiliation of each voter
510	510	applies only to a list of registered voters produced by a voter
511	511	registrar on or after December 31, 2023.
512	512	(d) The change in law made by Section 15.001(a), Election
513	513	Code, as amended by this Act, requiring that each voter
514	514	registration certificate must indicate the political affiliation
515	515	of the voter applies only to a certificate effective for voting on
516	516	or after January 1, 2024.
517	517	SECTION 34. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.