Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion
KP-0161
| Tex. Att'y Gen. | Jul 2, 2017Background
- Texas Election Code requires certain candidates to file petitions with a specified number of signatures from qualifying voters when applying for ballot placement.
- Section 141.063(a)(2) lists required information for each signer: residence address; date of birth or voter registration number (and county if multi-county); date of signing; and printed name.
- Question presented: whether a petition signature is invalid if the signer's printed name on the petition does not exactly match the name on the voter registration list, provided the signer's identity can otherwise be verified.
- Section 141.063(c) states that use of ditto marks or abbreviations does not invalidate a signature if the required information is reasonably ascertainable.
- Election Code section 141.065(a)-(b) requires a circulator affidavit attesting to reading required statements, witnessing signatures, verifying registration status, and believing signatures genuine; a complying affidavit lets the filing authority treat signatures as valid without further verification unless disproved.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether a petition signature must exactly match the voter's registration name | Exact match required; nonconforming printed names should be invalidated | Exact match not required; statute allows reasonable ascertainability, ditto marks/abbrev. permitted | Not required; a non‑exact printed name is not automatically invalid if identity is reasonably ascertainable |
| What evidence an election official must consider when validating signatures | Only the petition itself (or strict conformity) should control | Compare petition information with voter registration records; consider affidavit effect | Officials must consider all information on the petition and the voter registration records; a complying circulator affidavit permits treating signatures as valid absent proof otherwise |
Key Cases Cited
- In re Bell, 91 S.W.3d 784 (Tex. 2002) (omissions in petition do not automatically invalidate signature if enough information exists to verify eligibility)
- Vinson v. Burgess, 775 S.W.2d 509 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 1989) (petition signatures should be compared with voter registration records; exact name match not required)
- Sears v. Strake, 764 S.W.2d 805 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1988) (declined to invalidate petitions for non‑exact printed names)
- In re Vera, 71 S.W.3d 819 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2002) (petition signatures can be verified by checking voter registration records)