S.B. No. 2646 amends the Texas Election Code to enforce stricter requirements regarding political party affiliation for voters participating in primary elections. The bill mandates that voter registration applications must include the applicant's political party affiliation and establishes that a vote in a primary election is void if the voter is not affiliated with the party holding the primary. Additionally, it introduces criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly vote or attempt to vote in a primary election without proper affiliation, classifying the offense as a second-degree felony for knowingly voting and a state jail felony for attempting to vote without affiliation.

The bill also prohibits political parties from charging fees for candidates applying for a place on the ballot for county chair or precinct chair and invalidates signatures on petitions if the signer is affiliated with a different political party at the time of signing. It requires that a statement regarding party affiliation be included on petitions and ballots, and outlines the process for voters to indicate their party affiliation, with a deadline for voters to do so to avoid being classified as "independent." The bill repeals several existing provisions related to party alignment and signature requirements, aiming to streamline the process for party participation. These changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with specific provisions regarding voter registration and affiliation status to be implemented by December 11, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 13.002, Election Code 13.122, Election Code 15.001, Election Code 15.025, Election Code 18.005, Election Code 63.011, Election Code 112.002, Election Code 142.004, Election Code 142.008, Election Code 142.009, Election Code 161.005, Election Code 162.001, Election Code 162.003, Election Code 162.010, Election Code 162.013, Election Code 162.014, Election Code 162.017, Election Code 172.021, Election Code 172.026, Election Code 172.027, Election Code 172.086, Election Code 172.088, Election Code 172.126, Election Code 181.006, Election Code 181.031, Election Code 181.065, Election Code 182.0041, Election Code 192.032, Election Code 203.011 (Election Code 172, Election Code 142, Election Code 162, Election Code 13, Election Code 161, Election Code 181, Election Code 18, Election Code 192, Election Code 182, Election Code 63, Election Code 203, Election Code 15, Election Code 112)