Relating to the secretary of state posting on the secretary of state's Internet website databases containing certain information about elections.
HB 665 requires the Texas secretary of state to create and maintain public Internet databases with information about certain elections, officeholders, and candidates. The bill covers elections for partisan offices, mayors, and positions on city governing bodies and independent school district boards of trustees. It directs local election authorities, counties, and political parties to provide the relevant information to the secretary of state in electronic form, and it requires counties to forward information received from cities and school districts.
The databases would include basic election details such as the office to be filled, whether the office is elected at large or by district, the term length, and the dates of the previous and next elections. A second database would list incumbents and candidates and include identifying and contact information such as name, office sought or held, mailing address, phone number, email address if available, party affiliation for incumbents, and whether a candidate filed as a write-in. The bill also requires the secretary of state to adopt rules to implement these new reporting and posting duties, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.
HB 665 would amend the Texas Election Code by adding new sections to Chapter 31 and by expanding candidate-information reporting requirements in Section 141.032. It shifts responsibility for collecting and transmitting election and candidate data to counties, political parties, cities, and school districts, while making the secretary of state the central public repository for the information. The bill would create new statewide transparency and disclosure obligations for local election administration and for candidates and officeholders in the affected offices.
The available record suggests generally neutral to favorable sentiment, with the bill advancing through the House and being considered in Calendars without any recorded votes or committee transcript opposition in the provided materials. The bill’s purpose appears administrative and transparency-focused, which typically draws support from election administration and public-information interests. No formal vote totals or recorded debate are available here, so the level of support or concern cannot be measured beyond its progression in the legislative process.
The main potential points of contention are privacy and administrative burden. Because the bill requires public posting of mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses when available for candidates and officeholders, some may view it as an invasive disclosure requirement, especially for local officials and candidates. Counties, cities, school districts, and political parties may also object to the added reporting and forwarding duties, since the bill creates new data-collection and transmission responsibilities. Supporters would likely emphasize transparency, easier voter access to election information, and a centralized statewide database.