House Bill No. 4059 aims to establish a requirement for voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to participate in that party's primary elections. The bill amends various sections of the Election Code, including Section 13.002, which now mandates that voter registration applications include the applicant's political party affiliation. Additionally, it introduces a new criminal offense for individuals who vote or attempt to vote in a primary election without being affiliated with the respective party, with penalties ranging from state jail felonies to second-degree felonies depending on the nature of the offense.

The bill also outlines procedures for voters to affiliate with a political party, including the requirement for election officials to verify party affiliation before allowing voters to participate in primary elections. It includes provisions for provisional voting for those unable to establish their affiliation at the time of voting. Furthermore, the bill mandates that county voter registrars notify registered voters of the new affiliation requirements and provides a timeline for implementation, with the law taking effect on September 1, 2025, and certain provisions applying to voter registration certificates effective from January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 13.002, Election Code 13.122, Election Code 15.001, Election Code 63.011, Election Code 112.002, Election Code 162.001, Election Code 162.003, Election Code 162.010, Election Code 162.013, Election Code 162.014, Election Code 172.126 (Election Code 15, Election Code 172, Election Code 13, Election Code 63, Election Code 112, Election Code 162)