Amends TCA Title 2.

Present law requires the following in the filling out of a permanent registration, and when there is a change of registration or name:<br /> <br /> (1) If a person registers to vote in the election commission office, the commission employee who assists the person in registering must fill out the permanent registration record except for the person's signature or mark;<br /> <br /> (2) When any person changes one's registration from postcard to in-person, the record from the old form may be transferred onto the new form, and the new form may indicate the date of transfer upon request of the registrant;<br /> <br /> (3) When a person changes one's name for any reason on the registration form, the record from the old form may generally be transferred onto the new form, and the new form may indicate the date of transfer upon request of the registrant. If a person changes one's name because of a change in marital status, the person may use either the old name or the new name. If the person wishes to have one's new name reflected on the registration form, the person must so request the administrator of elections or a designated employee; and<br /> <br /> (4) In Shelby County, when a person changes one's name on one's registration form, the record from the old form may be transferred onto the new form, and the new form may indicate the date of transfer upon request of the registrant.<br /> <br /> As of January 1, 2025, this bill additionally authorizes each qualified voter, at the time of initial registration or during other registration periods under state law, to designate on the registration application an affiliation with a political party qualified to participate in elections or to elect to be designated as "unaffiliated." The county election commission must record the party affiliation or unaffiliated designation as part of the voter's permanent registration record. If a voter fails or refuses to make a designation, then the county election commission must enter on the permanent registration records that the voter is unaffiliated.<br /> <br /> VOTING IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS<br /> <br /> Under present law, a voter is entitled to vote in a primary election for offices for which the voter is qualified to vote at the polling place where the voter is registered to vote if (i) the voter is a bona fide member of and affiliated with the political party in whose primary the voter seeks to vote; or (ii) at the time the voter seeks to vote, the voter declares the allegiance to the political party in whose primary the voter seeks to vote and states that the voter intends to affiliate with that party.<br /> <br /> As of January 1, 2025, this bill requires the county election commission to record the voter's declaration or affirmation as part of the voter's permanent registration record. Once recorded, such declaration is subject to be changed by the voter in accordance with state law on voting registration.<br />