A Call to Action from the Election Integrity Committee
Timely Request
Ensure Election Integrity Senate Bill 7 - Does NO Harm
Senate Bill 7 - The Good News - The bill is headed to a vote in the House and Senate. The Bad News - It has several flaws.
The most dangerous flaw is that it will DESTROY decades of mandatory election law that requires precinct returns at the polls to document the unofficial election results and go to the central counting stations.
Details of the Flaws - SB7's Zero and Results Tape section 129.003(f) undoes decades of mandatory election laws and rules. SB7's current language is dangerous and will enable election administrators to no longer require paper backups to validate election results.
Specifically, the language in SB 7 for Zero Tapes and Results Tapes is grossly inconsistent with Texas Admin. Code 81.52(h)1 for Zero Tapes, and Tex. Elec. Code 62.022 and SOS Advisory 2019-23 for Results Tapes/precinct returns.
The language in SB 7 eviscerates over 100 years of Texas Supreme Court Case Law
In 1911, the Texas Supreme Court clarified election returns must be completed at polling locations and be delivered to the county clerk:
• “the returns together with the poll list and tally lists of the election shall be delivered to…the clerk of the county court.” Clary v. Hurst 104,Tex. at 430, 1911.
• "it must have occurred to any thoughtful mind that in the returns made from the many boxes, where both sides would ordinarily be represented and where their fidelity was to some extent assured by heavy penalties for any violation of duty” Clary 104, Tex. at 431.
We must preserve the current laws related to zero and results tapes.
The flawed SB 7 zero and results tapes
language has to be STRICKEN!!!!
Call to Action: Email and Call
Tell Senators and House Reps
STRIKE the Current Zero and Results Tapes Language in SB 7
• Call members of Senate and House Conf. Committee:
• Sen. Bryan Hughes - Senate Chair - (512) 463-0380
• Rep. Briscoe Cain - House Chair
• Rep. Travis Clardy - (512) 463-0592
• Sen. Paul Bettencourt - (512) 463-0107
• Sen. Dawn Buckingham - (512) 463-0124
• Sen. Lois Kolkhorst - (512) 463-0118
• Sen. Beverly Powell (512) 463-0110
• Rep. Jacey Jetton - (512) 463-0710
• Email members of Senate and House Conf. Committee:
