H.B. No. 1218 amends the Election Code to facilitate the mailing of early voting ballots by allowing the carrier envelope to be mailed without requiring United States postage. The bill introduces a new subsection (a-1) to Section 86.002, which mandates that the officially prescribed carrier envelope be prepared for free mailing. Additionally, the Secretary of State is tasked with adopting necessary rules for the administration of this provision.

Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 86.013(a) to require that the carrier envelope for early voting ballots includes an indication that return postage for the envelope and balloting materials is prepaid. It also repeals Section 86.002(e). The changes will apply only to elections ordered on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Elections ordered before this date will continue to be governed by the previous law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 86.002, Election Code 86.013 (Election Code 86)