Accommodating Voters with a Disability

This bill is about supporting disabled voters, and sets up some new crimes.

This bill updates the Election Code, which is a set of rules about voting and elections in Texas. These updates are for voters who can’t go into the polling place to cast their vote, including:

• An election officer is supposed to bring a ballot to a voter at the entrance or curb of the polling place if the voter can’t get inside.

  • Election officer: A person who helps run the voting process at polling places, making sure that elections happen fairly and follow the rules.

  • Ballot: A paper or electronic form that voters use to make their choices in an election.

• There needs to be a parking area that is clearly marked for voters who can’t go into the polling place.

• Instead of just a phone number for help, a button or intercom, a communication system that allows people to speak to each other from different locations, can be set up.

• The election officer can’t help fill out the ballot when they give it to the voter at the entrance or curb.

• Regular voting process can be tweaked by the election officer as needed.

• Voters have to take an oath saying they’re asking to vote outside the polling place before getting a ballot.

  • Taking an oath: Making a formal promise to tell the truth or do what you say you’re going to do, often by raising one's hand and repeating specific words.

• After taking the oath, the voter fills out the ballot and hands it back to the election officer for it to be turned in.

• Another person helping the voter can pick up the voter’s ballot and drop it in the ballot box if the voter asks them to.

• A poll watcher, someone who is appointed by a candidate, political party, or interest group to observe the election process at polling places, can keep an eye on what’s happening in this process.

• Anyone helping out seven or more voters during early voting has to fill out paperwork to explain what they’re doing to help.

  • Finished paperwork will need to be sent to the secretary of state.

    • Secretary of State: a state official in charge of elections, maintaining public info, and making sure election laws are followed.

• The secretary of state will decide which paperwork needs to be filled out.

  • Not filling out the paperwork is a small crime, called a Class A misdemeanor.

The bill also updates the Election Code with rules about someone helping voters to fill out the right paperwork. These new rules include:

• Anyone helping a voter has to fill out paperwork with important info like their name, relationship, and any payment they got.

• The secretary of state will make and give the paperwork, which needs to be turned in with the ballot.

• Finished paperwork should be sent to the secretary of state as soon as possible.

• Not filling out the paperwork is a small crime, called a Class A misdemeanor.

The bill also adds two new parts to the election code about help for voters that will be illegal if the bill passes:

• Helping people vote who you know are not allowed to vote, or trying to change who a voter votes for.

• Helping a voter in a way that breaks other rules in this bill

• Election officers who break the rules will get punished for helping voters illegally.

• Election officers who break the rules will be doing a small crime called a Class A misdemeanor.

If this bill passes, these changes start on Sept 1, 2025.