The registrar must approve qualifying applications and reject noncompliant ones, with special handling for applications sent to the wrong county or involving a move from another state.
Sec. 13.072. ACTION ON APPLICATION. (a) Unless the registrar challenges the applicant, the registrar shall approve the application if: (1) the registrar determines that an application complies with Section 13.002 and indicates that the applicant is eligible for registration; and (2) for an applicant who has not included a statement described by Section 13.002(c)(8)(C), the registrar verifies with the secretary of state: (A) the applicant's Texas driver's license number or number of a personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety; or (B) the last four digits of the applicant's social security number. (b) After approval of an application by an applicant who was registered in another county at the time of application, the registrar shall deliver written notice of the applicant's change of residence to the other county's registrar and include in the notice the applicant's name, former residence address, and former registration number, if known. (c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), if the registrar determines that an application does not comply with Section 13.002 or does not indicate that the applicant is eligible for registration, the registrar shall reject the application. (d) If an application clearly indicates that the applicant resides in another county, the registrar shall forward the application to the other county's registrar not later than the second day after the date the application is received. The date of submission of a completed application to the wrong registrar is considered to be the date of submission to the proper registrar for purposes of determining the effective date of the registration. (e) If a voter registration application indicates the applicant's previous residence was outside of this state, the voter registrar shall document the applicant's full legal name, date of birth, current address of residence, and previous address of residence. (f) The voter registrar shall compile the data described by Subsection (e) and, at least once a month, submit the data to the secretary of state. The transmitted data must include the following for each voter: (1) full legal name; (2) date of birth; (3) social security number, if provided; (4) driver's license number, if provided; (5) voter unique identifier number; (6) current address of residence; and (7) previous address of residence. (g) On a monthly basis, the secretary of state shall, with the data submitted under Subsection (f), notify the voter registrar with jurisdiction over the previous residence of a voter described by Subsection (e) that the voter may be removed from that jurisdiction's voter registration list. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 415, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 559, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1349, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1316, Sec. 5, 44, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1105 (H.B. 2280), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2006. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 711 (H.B. 3107), Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 860 (S.B. 1862), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.