ELECTION CODE


TITLE 7. EARLY VOTING


SUBTITLE B. SPECIAL FORMS OF EARLY VOTING


CHAPTER 102. LATE VOTING BY DISABLED VOTER


Sec. 102.001. ELIGIBILITY. (a) A qualified voter is eligible to vote a late ballot as provided by this chapter if the voter has a sickness or physical condition described by Section 82.002 that originates on or after the day before the last day for submitting an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

(b) In this chapter, "late ballot" means a ballot voted under this chapter.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.002. CONTENTS OF APPLICATION. An application for a late ballot must comply with the applicable provisions of Section 84.002 and must include or be accompanied by a certificate of a licensed physician or chiropractor or accredited Christian Science practitioner in substantially the following form:

"This is to certify that I know that __________ has a sickness or physical condition that will prevent him or her from appearing at the polling place for an election to be held on the __________ day of __________, 20___, without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring his or her health and that the sickness or physical condition originated on or after __________.

"Witness my hand at __________, Texas, this __________ day of __________, 20___.

________________________________

(signature of physician,

chiropractor, or practitioner)"

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Amended by:

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 711 (H.B. 3107), Sec. 74, eff. September 1, 2021.

Sec. 102.003. SUBMITTING APPLICATION. (a) An application for a late ballot must be submitted in person to the early voting clerk at the main early voting polling place by a representative of the applicant. However, if the early voting ballots voted by mail are processed at a location other than the main early voting polling place, the early voting clerk may require the application to be submitted at that location.

(b) An application may be submitted after the last day of the period for early voting by personal appearance and before 5 p.m. on election day.

(c) To be eligible to serve as an applicant's representative, a person:

(1) must be at least 18 years of age;

(2) must not be employed by or related within the third degree by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code, to a candidate whose name appears on the ballot; and

(3) must not have served in the election as the representative for another applicant.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 1.34; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 561, Sec. 17, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(27), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1316, Sec. 31, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Sec. 102.004. REVIEWING APPLICATION AND PROVIDING BALLOTING MATERIALS. (a) An application submitted under this chapter shall be reviewed and the applicant's registration status verified by the early voting clerk in the same manner as for early voting by mail.

(b) The clerk shall provide the balloting materials for voting an early voting ballot by mail to the representative who submits the voter's application. Before providing the materials, the clerk shall enter the representative's name and residence address on the application and secure the representative's signature beside the name.

(c) The voter's representative shall deliver the balloting materials in person to the voter.

(d) A late ballot provided to a voter by any method other than that prescribed by this section may not be counted.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.005. MARKING AND SEALING BALLOT. A late ballot must be marked and sealed by the voter in the same manner as an early voting ballot voted by mail.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.006. METHOD OF RETURNING MARKED BALLOT; DEADLINE. (a) A marked late ballot must be delivered to the early voting clerk in person by the representative who submitted the voter's application. The ballot must be delivered in the official carrier envelope. A ballot returned by any other method may not be counted.

(b) The clerk shall enter the representative's name and residence address on a returned carrier envelope and secure the representative's signature beside the name.

(c) The deadline for returning a marked late ballot is the same as that for an early voting ballot voted by mail.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.007. PROCESSING RESULTS. The results of voting under this chapter shall be processed in accordance with the procedures applicable to processing early voting ballots voted by mail.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.008. ENTRY ON EARLY VOTING ROSTER. The early voting roster must include the name of each person to whom a late ballot is provided with a notation indicating that the ballot was a late ballot under this chapter.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 102.009. ENTRY ON PRECINCT EARLY VOTING LIST. The precinct early voting list must contain the name of each person to whom a late ballot has been provided as of the time of delivery of the list.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.26; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.