The bill, H.B. No. 5351, proposes amendments to the Election Code regarding the application process for ballots to be voted by mail. It modifies Section 84.004(a) to clarify that a person commits an offense if they sign as a witness for more than one applicant in the same election, removing previous stipulations about annual ballots. Additionally, Section 84.007(c) is amended to allow applications to be submitted at any time during the election year, with specific deadlines outlined. The bill also updates the requirements for the official application form for early voting ballots, ensuring it includes various statements and spaces for necessary information, while repealing Section 86.0015.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that the cancellation of an application for a mail-in ballot is effective for a single election only and does not affect subsequent runoff elections. The changes made by this Act will apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date, which is set for January 1, 2026. The bill aims to streamline the mail-in voting process while maintaining the integrity of the election system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 84.004, Election Code 84.007, Election Code 84.011, Election Code 84.038, Election Code 84.001 (Election Code 84)