Bill

SB 1034

84(R) - 2015
Senate State Affairs
Senate State Affairs
Elections

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Eddie Rodriguez

Bill Caption

Relating to the applicability of canceling an annual application for a ballot to be voted by mail to subsequent elections.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

Under current law a registered voter my apply for a mail in ballot. Rather than applying for each election within an election cycle, the single application allows a voter to receive a mail in ballot for every election for that election cycle. The author's office contends that under the current law if a person requests a mail in ballot but then cancels the ballot by voting in person instead, all the ballots for the subsequent elections are also cancelled.

This legislation would amend the elections code to provide that the cancellation of the first mail in ballot by voting in person would not automatically result in the cancellation of the future mail in ballots authorized under the same application. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

This legislation could help to prevent some voters from having their mail in ballots unnecessarily cancelled against their wishes which could prevent them from voting. However, it has been noted that mail in ballots are a ripe target for voter fraud. Any changes to the system of mail in voting should be made judiciously and with due consideration to protect both voting rights and the integrity of the ballot. That being said, this bill appears to be mostly procedural in nature. With that in mind we remain neutral.