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Bill

HB 297

Relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's registration after the registrar's receipt of certain change of address notices.

89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session (2025) Introduced by Brooks Landgraf

Texas bill allows voting with outdated addresses and speeds voter registration updates when registrars receive change-of-address notices from voters.

Filed
#elections--administration(i0277) #elections--general(i0310) #elections--registration&suffrage(i0265) #electronicinformationsystems(i0311) #politicalsubdivisions(i0588)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 297

Legislative bill overview

HB 297 modifies Texas election procedures to allow voters to cast ballots using non-current residence addresses and expedites voter registration updates when the registrar receives change-of-address notices. The bill appears designed to address situations where voters have recently moved but their registration information hasn't been updated, while streamlining the administrative process for registrars to process address changes.

Why is this important

Voter registration accuracy directly affects election administration efficiency and voter access. Changes to address verification procedures impact both the integrity of voter rolls and the practical ability of citizens to vote, particularly for those who have recently relocated. This also affects registrars' workload and compliance with federal and state election deadlines.

Potential points of contention

  • Election security concerns: Opponents may argue that accepting non-current addresses could enable voter fraud or double voting if not carefully monitored, while supporters contend it prevents legitimate voter disenfranchisement
  • Administrative burden: The "immediate effect" requirement for address updates could strain county registrars' resources and create compliance challenges, particularly in larger counties with high registration volumes
  • Jurisdictional conflicts: The bill may create tension with federal election law requirements (NVRA) regarding voter list maintenance timelines and procedures for handling address changes

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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