Texas Administrative Code › Title 1 - ADMINISTRATION › Part 4 - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE › Chapter 81 - ELECTIONS › Subchapter E - ELECTION DAY PROCEDURES › Section 81.71 - Substantially Similar Name Standards and Identity Verification

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) When a voter offers to vote at a polling
				  place using a form of identification described by §
										RSA
				  63.0101 of the Texas Election Code
				  ("presented ID document") and the voter's name on the presented ID document
				  does not match exactly the voter's name as it appears on the official list of
				  registered voters, the voter's name on the presented ID document must be
				  "substantially similar" to the voter's name as it appears on the official list
				  of registered voters.
(b) In
				  determining whether a voter's name on the presented ID document is
				  substantially similar to the voter's name as it appears on the official list of
				  registered voters, the reviewing early voting clerk, deputy early voting clerk,
				  election judge or election clerk (collectively included in the term "election
				  worker") shall refer to the standards in subsection (c) of this
				  section.
(c) A voter's name on the
				  presented ID document is considered substantially similar to the name on the
				  official list of registered voters and a voter's name on the official list of
				  registered voters is considered substantially similar to the name on the
				  presented ID document if one or more of the circumstances in paragraphs (1) -
				  (4) of this subsection are present. In determining whether one or more of those
				  circumstances are present, election workers should consider whether information
				  on the presented ID document matches elements of the voter's information on the
				  official list of registered voters such as the voter's residence address or
				  date of birth, which may be strong indicators that the name on the presented ID
				  document is substantially similar to the name on the official list of
				  registered voters and vice versa if:
(1) The
				  name on the presented ID document is slightly different from one or more of the
				  name fields on the official list of registered voters or one or more of the
				  name fields on the official list of registered voters is slightly different
				  from the name on the presented ID document;
(2) The name on the presented ID document or
				  on the official list of registered voters is a customary variation of the
				  formal name such as, for illustrative purposes only, Bill for William, or Beto
				  for Alberto, that is on the document or list that must match, as the case may
				  be;
(3) The voter's name on the
				  presented ID document contains an initial, a middle name, or a former name that
				  is not on the official list of registered voters or the official list of
				  registered voters contains an initial, a middle name, or a former name that is
				  not on the presented ID document; or
(4) A first name, middle name, former name,
				  or initial of the voter's name that occupies a different field on the presented
				  ID document than a first name, middle name, former name, or initial of the
				  voter's name on the official list of registered voters.