Texas HB 521: New Curbside Voting Procedures and Pollworker Training Considerations

Texas House Bill 521 was passed during the 89th Legislative Session and makes changes to curbside voting and voter assistance procedures.

Curbside voting is an important accommodation for voters who are physically unable to enter the polling place without personal assistance or without risking injury to their health.

HB 521 does not remove that accommodation.

It adds new documentation and procedural requirements around how that accommodation is provided.

What Actually Changed?

The Texas Secretary of State’s 2025 legislative summary states that HB 521 makes changes to curbside voting and assistance procedures.

The Senate Research Center bill analysis explains that HB 521:

establishes a 20-foot boundary around designated curbside voting parking spaces where electioneering is prohibited
requires voters using curbside voting to sign an oath affirming their inability to enter the polling place without assistance or risk of injury
adds reporting requirements for individuals who assist seven or more voters during an election
creates penalties for intentionally failing to comply with those reporting requirements

The bill also requires curbside voting parking areas to be clearly marked with signage, including notice that electioneering is prohibited within 20 feet of the parking space.

Why This Matters Operationally

Curbside voting often happens outside the normal physical flow of the polling place.

That means pollworkers need to understand not only the voter check-in process, but also the additional steps required when the voter remains outside.

With HB 521, offices may need to review:

curbside signage
parking space layout
voter oath forms
pollworker scripts
assistance documentation
procedures for voters who need help marking a ballot
how curbside activity is tracked in the polling place

The bill makes curbside voting more documentation-heavy.

That makes training especially important.

Why Pollworker Training Matters

Curbside voting is one of those workflows where consistency matters.

If pollworkers are unsure of the steps, the experience can vary from location to location.

That can create confusion for voters, election workers, and observers.

Training should make clear:

who qualifies for curbside voting
what form the voter must sign
where electioneering is prohibited
what assistance pollworkers may or may not provide
how to handle voters who bring an assistant
how to document assistance when required

This is especially important in elections with a large number of polling places or temporary election workers.

What Election Offices Can Review Now

Some practical questions worth considering:

Are curbside parking spaces clearly marked?
Does signage include the 20-foot electioneering restriction?
Do pollworkers have the required voter oath form?
Is curbside voting included in hands-on training?
Does the ePollbook workflow clearly identify curbside voters if needed?
How are voter assistance requirements documented?
How will the office support pollworkers if questions come up during voting?

These details matter because curbside voting happens in real time, often while the polling place is already busy.

Continuing the Conversation

HB 521 adds new procedural and documentation requirements around curbside voting.

For election offices, the next step is making sure those requirements are reflected in forms, training, signage, and polling place procedures.

Curbside voting remains an important accessibility tool. The operational challenge is making sure it is handled consistently, lawfully, and clearly at every location.

How is your office updating curbside voting training and procedures?