1. Election Night Returns and Canvassing
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
1/3/2019
Election Night Returns and Canvassing
Tim Juro
18th Biennial Seminar for County Chairs
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

2. Election Night Returns
County Election Officer is responsible for:
Preparing unofficial results as precinct returns are returned/tabulated; including early voting; and
Providing unofficial tabulation to County Clerk/Elections Administrator throughout the night; and
Making periodic announcements of tabulation
This is NEW under HB1735– these duties shifted to CEO
17th County Chair Seminar
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

3. Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Submitting to SOS
County Clerk/Elections Administrator is responsible for submitting unofficial results to SOS.
SOS will send information to counties about how to submit returns electronically ahead of the primary.
Counties may begin submitting vote tallies at 7 p.m. on election day.
Counties will enter early voting tallies separately.
Information reported:
Votes cast for each contested federal office, statewide office, office of state senator, office of state representative, office of the State Board of Education, and any other unofficial results as determined by SOS (e.g. party referenda).
Number of provisional ballots.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

4. Dates of Canvass – 2018 Primary
Thursday, March 15 – Date to conduct local canvass.
Sunday, March 18 – Deadline to conduct state canvass for all races with potential runoffs (three or more candidates).
Wednesday, March 28 – Deadline to conduct state canvass for races with no potential runoff.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

5. Dates of Canvass – Runoff Primary
Thursday, May 31 – Date to conduct local canvass.
Saturday, June 9 – Deadline to conduct state canvass.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State

6. Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Canvassing Authority
Local Canvass:
Performed by county chair, and if available, at least one member of the county executive committee.
State Canvasses:
Performed by state chair
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

7. Texas Secretary of State
Canvassing
Location of Local Canvass:
Can conduct canvass at any location, but MUST provide notice on website. If your county party does not have a website, must post notice on commissioners court bulletin board.
Must provide 72 hours’ notice for canvass.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State

8. Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Canvass Procedure
County Chair will receive electronic report of unofficial results from the CEO showing:
Total number of votes
Total number of provisional votes cast and counted
Total number of votes for each candidate in each precinct in early voting
Total number of votes for each candidate in each precinct.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

9. Texas Secretary of State Elections Division
Canvass Procedure
Canvassing authority will certify results in EMCS
Chairs will receive report from CEO containing returns
Chair will review information for correctness in EMCS
Chair will certify canvass in EMCS
Certified canvass is posted to SOS website
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

10. Texas Secretary of State
Canvass Procedure
Canvassed data will be posted to SOS and will be available to state chair (and public)
No longer a requirement to individually send this data
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State

11. Prohibited Activities
Ballot Box with voted ballots may NOT be opened at the canvass.
Only opened:
Completion of partial manual count, if required
Upon a court order
Official request for a recount
After 60-day locked box period
Ballots may not be recounted at canvass.
Poll list should not be compared with return sheet.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

12. Precinct-by-Precinct Results
In addition to canvass, must also submit precinct-by-precinct results:
NEW LAW: House Bill 1735 provides that the County Clerk will now prepare the results and submit the precinct-by-precinct results not later than the 30th day after the primary.
SOS will send a separate memorandum to the counties on submitting these results.
1/3/2019
Texas Secretary of State