MASS EMAIL (CEO/CC/CSO) Advisory No. 2025-07: Legislative Summary-89th Regular Session; Updated and Revised Forms

Texas Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 07/23/2025 01:48 PM CDT

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ELECTIONS DIVISION

TO: Texas Election Officials

FROM: Elections Division, Texas Secretary of State

SUBJECT: Advisory No. 2025-07: Legislative Summary-89th Regular Session; Updated and Revised Forms

DATE: July 23, 2025

Election Officials,

Our office has issued the following advisory: Advisory No. 2025-07: Legislative Summary-89^th Regular Session

The advisory is located on your Conducting Elections pages.

As the September 1, 2025 effective date is approaching for many election-related bills adopted in the Texas Legislature’s 2025 Regular Session, we wanted to provide you with an update regarding the implementation of certain new laws. Below we will summarize the forms and other items that our office will be creating or modifying to reflect required legislative changes. There are several other notable forms that we will be modifying for other reasons, which are included on this list as well.

Please note that over the course of the next few weeks, we will be issuing a number of additional changes to our resources as it takes time and effort for us to post items on our website in an accessible format. The list below contains links to new forms that are currently posted on our website. If a form will be modified or created, but is not yet posted on our website, the list reflects this status. The list also identifies whether changes to forms and handbooks are based on legislation passed in the 2025 Regular Session.

Application for Ballot by Mail and Voting by Mail

House Bill 2259 and House Bill 3697 amended the Election Code to require that the officially prescribed Application for Ballot by Mail be printed in at least 10 point type and requires instructions for the ABBM to appear on a single piece of paper.
Our office is updating the current ABBM to reflect these changes, as well as creating a separate instruction sheet for the application. Links to the drafts of the revised documents are available here: ABBM and ABBM Instruction Sheet.

The drafts of the updated ABBM, ABBM Instruction Sheet, and Voter Registration Application have not been finalized. The final applications and instruction sheet will be provided at a future date.

Although the bills take effect on September 1, 2025 counties and local political subdivisions are able to continue using existing stock of the ABBM until completed. However, once existing stock is no longer available, counties and local political subdivisions will need to use the updated ABBM and the accompanying instruction sheet.
Notice of Carrier Defect Issued by the Early Voting Clerk (Defective Carrier Envelope Returned to the Voter by Mail (Senate Bill 2964) (Posting Coming Soon)
Notice of Carrier Defect Issued by the Early Voting Clerk (Defective Carrier Held at the Early Voting Clerk’s Office Awaiting Correction (Senate Bill 2964) (Posting Coming Soon)

Voter Registration Application

Senate Bill 1862, which takes effect September 1, 2025, amended the Election Code to require that the voter registration application include the address, city, and county where the voter previously resided. Under current law, the voter registration application was only required to include the city and county where the voter previously resided.
As a result of SB 1862, our office is also updating the official Voter Registration Application to reflect this change. A link to the draft of the revised form is provided here.
Although Senate Bill 1862 takes effect on September 1, 2025 counties are able to continue using existing stock of the current Voter Registration Application until that stock is completed. However, once existing stock is no longer available, counties will be required to use the updated application.
Once the updated Voter Registration Application is finalized, our office will be generating the county specific forms with the county mailing address which will be provided to each county individually. Any questions regarding the ordering of the new Voter Registration Application should be directed to elections@sos.texas.gov.
The updated drafts of the ABBM, ABBM Instruction Sheet, and Voter Registration Application have not been finalized. The final applications and instruction sheet will be provided at a future date.
As a result of Senate Bill 1862, additional forms which will be updated and posted soon include:

High School Voter Registration Application
Volunteer Deputy Registrar Voter Registration Application (Form 21-1)
Notice to Confirm Voter Registration Address (Form 21-1), (Form 21-2), (Form 21-3), (Form 21-4), and (Form 21-5)
Statement of Residence (Form 21-6)
Affidavit of Provisional Voters (Form 9-6)
Limited Ballot Application (Form 5-36)

Candidate Application Forms

Application for Place on the General Election Ballot for CSOs (Form 2-49) (House Bill 3629)
Application for a Place on the Special Election Ballot for CSOs (Form 2-50) (House Bill 3629)
Declaration of Write-In Candidacy for CSOs (Form 2-55) (House Bill 3629)
Application for a Place on the General Primary Ballot for a Precinct or County Chair (Form 2-3) (House Bill 766) (Posting Coming Soon)
Acknowledgement of Duties by Candidate for Board of Directors of Appraisal District (House Bill 148) (Posting Coming Soon)
Although not legislatively required, our office is also updating candidate applications and petitions for primary candidates, candidates filing in the Libertarian or Green Party, Independent Candidates, and Write-In Candidate Declarations so that they include information regarding the 15^th Court of Appeals and also clarifying language. These updates do not affect the validity of petition signatures gathered on the 2023 version of the form.

Poll Watcher Forms

Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher by Candidate (Form 4-26) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher by Political Party (Form 4-27) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher for Proposition or Measure (Form 4-28) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher by Registered Voters on Behalf of a Write-In Candidate (Form 4-29) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certificate of Appointment of a Representative by a Candidate for Partial Manual Count (Form 4-30) (House Bill 493) (Senate Bill 827) (Posting Coming Soon)
Election Day Poll Watcher Information Sheet (Form 4-31) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)
Early Voting Poll Watcher Information Sheet (Form 4-32) (House Bill 493) (Posting Coming Soon)

Curbside Voting, Assistance Issues, and Wireless Communication Devices in the Polling Place

Notice of Certain Devices Within 100 Fee of Voting Station (For 7-39) (House Bill 3909) (Posting Coming Soon)
New Curbside Distance Marker for Curbside Voting (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)
Curbside Voting Sign-Notification by Phone Number (Form 7-43) (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)
Curbside Voting Sign-Notification by Ringing Bell ((Form 7-44) (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)
Information of Person that Provided Transportation to Seven or More Voters for Curbside Voting (Form 7-65) (House Bill 521) ((Posting Coming Soon)
New Affirmation for Curbside Voter Form (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)
Oath of Assistance and Oath of Interpreters (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)
New Assistance Form for Election Workers (House Bill 521) (Posting Coming Soon)

Secretary of State’s Review of Ballot Propositions for Home-Rule Cities

New form that can be completed to request the review by the SOS (Senate Bill 506) (Posting Coming Soon)

Public Logic and Accuracy Testing and Voting Systems

New Form for Notice of Logic and Accuracy Testing (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
New Form for Certification of Logic and Accuracy Testing Results (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
New form for Pollbook Logic and Accuracy Testing (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certification of Second Test of Automatic Tabulating Equipment Used at the Central Counting Station (Form 15-1) (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certification of Third Test of Automated Tabulating Equipment Used at the Central Counting Station (Form 15-2) (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certification of Public Logic and Accuracy Test, Hash Validation and First Test of Automatic Tabulating Equipment (Form 15-5) (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
Public Notice of Test of Automatic Tabulating Equipment (Form 15-6) (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
Certificate of Preparation of Precinct Ballot Counters (Form 15-8) (Senate Bill 2166) (Posting Coming Soon)
New Post-Election Reconciliation Form (Senate Bill 2217) (Posting Coming Soon)

Address Confidentiality Program Forms

Request for Confidentiality for Candidates Under Texas Government Code (Form 2-67) (Senate Bill 1540) (Senate Bill 1569) (Posting Coming Soon)
Request for Voter Registration Confidentiality Under Texas Government Code (Form 21-19) (Senate Bill 1540) (Senate Bill 1569) (Posting Coming Soon)

NOTE: The updated SOS-prescribed Online Poll Worker Training, Online Poll Watcher Training, Online Central Counting Station Training, Online Signature Verification Committee Training, and the Online Early Voting Ballot Board training have not yet been released.

When posted, the handbooks, forms, advisories, and guides will be located on your Conducting Elections page, in our Forms, Resources, and Legal Library, and on our Training and Education Resources Page. To order printed copied of the handbooks and guide, please complete the Handbook Request Form.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Heidi Martinez

Managing Attorney – Elections Division

Office of the Texas Secretary of State

1019 Brazos Street | Rudder Building, 2nd Floor | Austin, Texas 78701 1.800.252.VOTE (8683)

elections@sos.texas.gov | www.sos.state.tx.us/elections

The information contained in this email is intended to provide advice and assistance in election matters per §31.004 of the Texas Election Code. It is not intended to serve as a legal opinion for any matter. Please review the law yourself, and consult with an attorney when your legal rights are involved.

If you have any questions regarding this e-mail, please e-mail elections@sos.texas.gov