1. Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
11/23/2018
Election Night Returns
Louri O’Leary
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

2. Texas Secretary of State
Overview
History
Responsibilities
Process & Procedures
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

3. Texas Secretary of State
History
The first tabulation of election night results took place on November 2, 1982.
Disseminating results on election night best serves the county, public interest, candidates, and media.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

4. Texas Secretary of State
Responsibilities
SOS -Sec DUTY TO TABULATE GENERALLY. (a) The secretary of state shall tabulate the unofficial results as provided by this subchapter in each primary election and general election for state and county officers on each proposed amendment to the state constitution and for each contested race.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

5. Texas Secretary of State
Election Officials
Covered under Chapter 68, Subchapter B: Duties of Local Election Officials For Certain Races.
Sec (a) The county clerk/EA shall transmit periodically, by telephone or other electronic means, to the secretary of state the results for the races being tabulated by the secretary. The results shall be transmitted continuously until complete.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

6. Sec. 68.034 TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS TO SECRETARY OF STATE
(b) The county clerk shall transmit the complete or partial results of the early voting for the appropriate races at 7 p.m. on election day. If only partial results are available, the results shall be transmitted periodically until complete.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

7. Unofficial Results (Sec. 127.1311)
Central Count: Unofficial results shall be released as soon as they are available after the polls close.
Presiding judge may, in cooperation with county clerk, withhold release results until the last voter has voted.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

8. Preparing Precinct Returns (Sec. 65.014)
Who?
Presiding judge
What?
Returns must contain:
Total number of voters who voted at the precinct.
Total number of votes for each candidate/measure.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

9. Process & Procedures for Election Night Returns
SOS to collect contact information for election night
SOS to collect additional information (varies by election type).
Testing the ENR system
Election Day- system opens at 7pm
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

10. Five Weeks Before Election Day
We will need the following information from your office:
Contact Information
Type of Voting Equipment
Number of precincts, or vote centers
11/23/2018
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State 10

11. Texas Secretary of State
Contact Information
We will need the following information for the county election official, person designated to report vote totals, and an alternate designated person:
Evening Phone
Home Phone/ Cell Phone
Telephone Number that will be answered on election night
Telephone Number of Central Counting Station (if applicable)
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Texas Secretary of State

12. Type of Voting Equipment
Check all that apply to this election:
Optical Scan
DRE
Automark
Paper Ballot
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

13. PLUS ONE FOR EARLY VOTING Texas Secretary of State
Number of Precincts
Total number of precincts that will be open on election day
If consolidating- the number of consolidated precincts (cannot consolidate for presidential election)
If combining provide the total number of precincts
If your county participates in county-wide polling, then provide the number of vote centers.
PLUS ONE FOR EARLY VOTING
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

14. 3-4 Weeks Before Election Day
Testing the System: each county is asked to log on and enter test data.
You will be able to log in once per day during testing week.
If any information (contact, precincts, voting equipment) changes inform our office right away.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

15. Texas Secretary of State
Election Day
System Opens at 7pm
Enter early votes as close to 7pm as possible
Enter precinct totals as the numbers become available
Smaller counties vs. bigger counties
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

16. Texas Secretary of State
Election Night
Make sure you enter early votes at 7pm. The results can be updated throughout the night.
Monitoring Team- trained to track status, contact you if no intermittent activity is observed; call your contact phone number for details.
Data Entry Team- If you encounter technical difficulties you can call in your results.
Questions:
Online Link:
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State

17. Texas Secretary of State
Day After the Election
Any counties that do not finalize on election night will begin receiving phone calls from our staff first thing in the morning after for status follow up.
11/23/2018
Texas Secretary of State