TX SB2646

Requires voters to formally affiliate with a political party through voter registration in order to vote in that party's primary election or participate in party conventions and affairs, replacing Texas's current open primary system

Adds political party affiliation as a required field on voter registration applications and registration certificates, with unaffiliated voters listed as "independent" on official records

Creates criminal offenses for voting or attempting to vote in a party's primary without being affiliated with that party: second-degree felony for actually voting, state jail felony for attempting to vote

Party affiliation changes take effect on the second Monday in December following the change request, and independent candidates for general election ballot must not be affiliated with any political party at the time of application

Requires county voter registrars to mail notices to all registered voters by October 1, 2025 explaining the new affiliation requirements, with a postage-paid postcard for voters to indicate their party choice; voters who don't respond by December 11, 2025 will be listed as "independent"