H.B. No. 952 aims to enhance the security and tracking of early voting ballots voted by mail in Texas. The bill introduces a new section, 52.076, which mandates that each mail-in ballot must include a scannable code that can be verified for authenticity. This code will correspond to a unique number assigned to the ballot, and no records linking individual voters to these codes will be created. Additionally, the Secretary of State is tasked with developing a system to generate and track these codes to prevent unauthorized reproduction or misuse of mail ballots. The bill also requires that if a ballot has a scannable code, the early voting clerk must record its issuance electronically.

Furthermore, the bill amends several sections of the Election Code to incorporate electronic tracking measures. It establishes a new section, 86.016, which allows voters to track their carrier envelopes containing ballots while in transit with the U.S. Postal Service. The early voting ballot board is also required to verify the scannable code on the ballot against recorded codes before counting the ballot. If there is a mismatch, the ballot will not be counted and will be treated as a rejected ballot. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 86.001, Election Code 87.062, Election Code 87.103 (Election Code 86, Election Code 87)
House Committee Report: Election Code 86.001, Election Code 86.013, Election Code 87.062, Election Code 87.103 (Election Code 86, Election Code 87)