Electronic Ballot Delivery

If this bill passes, it will add a new voting option that lets voters who are away from the county they’re from, get a ballot online instead of by mail.

• This Bill:

  • Updates the rules about applying to vote early so there is the choice to get your ballot by email. 

  • Makes sure voter email addresses that are used for electronic ballots stay private.

  • Requires voters to mail back any ballots they got by email.

  • Tells the Secretary of State to set up rules for sending ballots by email

    • Secretary of State: A government official in charge of elections and business paperwork in Texas, making sure they run smoothly.

    • Voters who ask for a ballot by email will get:

      • The ballot itself.

      • Instructions on how to fill out and return the ballot.

      • Steps for creating a ballot envelope and carrier envelope for mailing.

      • A list of certified write-in candidates, if needed.

    • The ballot can be emailed in a PDF, or other ways that the Secretary of State says are okay.

  • Makes the Secretary of State come up with rules for electronic ballot delivery.

• Right now, voters asking for a mail-in ballot need to give a mailing address outside their county. But if this bill passes, voters can choose to get their ballot by email if they're voting by mail because they're outside their home county.

• Right now, the form to apply for a ballot only has room for a mailing address. But if this bill passes, the form will have:

  • A box for voters to ask to get their ballot via email.

  • A spot for voters to write down their email address.

  • A note saying that ballots received by email still need to be mailed back to be counted.

• Right now, the law doesn’t include voter email privacy for when people ask for their ballot. But if this bill passes:

  • Voter email addresses used for electronic ballots need to be kept private.

  • Election workers can’t share them.

• Right now, mail-in ballots have to be returned in an official envelope by mail, through a mail person, or in person. But if this bill passes, ballots received by email must still be returned by mail or through a delivery service that the bill says is okay. 

  • No returns by email will be allowed

• If this bill passes, these changes will start on September 1, 2025.