Relating to the ballot application requirements for the election of a precinct chair.

Contracts

• Election Software Vendors: If your organization or political party utilizes third-party software to manage candidate filings or generate public voter guides, you must amend the scope of work. The software must be updated to segregate the candidate’s email and phone number from public-facing data fields to ensure they do not auto-populate into public directories.

Hiring/Training

• Intake Officer Training: Staff accepting filings must be trained to verify the presence of at least one contact method (email or phone). Applications missing this data are legally incomplete and must be rejected.
• Privacy Protocols: Staff must be trained *not* to read this specific contact information aloud during public drawing of ballot positions or other public meetings.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Public Information Act (PIA) Redaction: This data is explicitly exempt from disclosure under Chapter 552. You must update your PIA response templates. If a request for candidate filings is received, the email and phone number provided under this statute must be redacted prior to release.
• Form Management: Destroy previous versions of the Precinct Chair application form. Use only the version revised post-June 2025.

Fees & Costs

• No Fee Changes: There are no new filing fees.
• Liability Risk: While operational costs are low, failure to redact this confidential information exposes the filing authority to liability for violating the candidate's statutory privacy rights.