Election Night Returns and Canvassing Texas Secretary of State Elections Division 2/23/2019 Election Night Returns and Canvassing Louri O’Leary 17th Biennial Seminar for County Chairs 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Election Night Returns County Chair 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; and Returning precinct returns and providing unofficial tabulation to County Clerk/Elections Administrator to preserve with other election records. (A contract for election services may shift these duties to County Clerk/Elections Administrator.) 17th County Chair Seminar Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

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. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Dates of Canvass - Primary Thursday, March 10 – Date to conduct local canvass. Sunday, March 13 – Deadline to conduct state canvass for all races with potential runoffs (three or more candidates). Wednesday, March 23 – Deadline to conduct state canvass for races with no potential runoff. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Dates of Canvass – Runoff Primary Thursday, June 2 – Date to conduct local canvass. Saturday, June 11 – Deadline to conduct state canvass. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State

Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Canvassing Authority Local Canvass: NEW LAW: Senate Bill 1073 changed canvassing authority from county executive committee to county chair, and if available, at least one member of the county executive committee. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Texas Secretary of State Canvassing Authority State Canvasses: NEW LAW: Senate Bill 1073 changed the canvassing authority from the state executive committee to the state chair. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State

Texas Secretary of State Canvassing Location of Local Canvass: NEW LAW: 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. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State

Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Canvass Procedure County Chair will prepare tabulation 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. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Canvass Procedure Canvassing authority will certify results. NEW LAW: SB 1073 requires canvassed results to be posted to the SOS’ website. SOS is working on system, and you will receive information on how to transmit your canvassed results. NEW LAW: SB 1073 requires SOS preserve and archive canvass results. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Texas Secretary of State Canvass Procedure County Chairs MUST submit results of Local Canvass to State Chair not later than 24 hours after canvass: March 11 for Primary Election. June 3 for Runoff Primary Election. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State

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. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State Elections Division

Precinct-by-Precinct Results In addition to canvass, must also submit precinct-by-precinct results: NEW LAW: Senate Bill 1073 provides that the County Clerk will now prepare the results, but you as the County Chair must submit the precinct-by-precinct results not later than the 30th day after the primary. SOS will send a separate memorandum on submitting these results. 2/23/2019 Texas Secretary of State