Title EL, Election Code

Sec. 67.009. FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR COUNTY RETURNS. (a) Before each election for which county election returns are required, the secretary of state shall deliver to each county clerk in the territory covered by the election two copies of the officially prescribed form for rep…

Sec. 67.010. COUNTY RETURNS CANVASSED BY GOVERNOR. (a) The county election returns for an election for a statewide office other than governor or lieutenant governor, a statewide measure, a district office, or president and vice-president of the United States shall be canvassed by…

Sec. 67.011. COUNTY RETURNS CANVASSED BY LEGISLATURE. (a) The county election returns for an election for the office of governor or lieutenant governor shall be canvassed by the legislature and the official result declared by the speaker of the house of representatives in accorda…

Sec. 67.012. TIME FOR CANVASS BY GOVERNOR. (a) The governor shall conduct the state canvass at the time set by the secretary of state: (1) not earlier than the 15th or later than the 30th day after election day; or (2) for an election described by Section 65.051(a-1), not earlier…

Sec. 67.013. PROCEDURE FOR CANVASS BY GOVERNOR. (a) At the time set for the state canvass, the secretary of state shall deliver the county returns to the governor. (b) The secretary of state shall prepare a tabulation stating for each candidate and for and against each measure re…

Sec. 67.014. DETERMINING OFFICIAL RESULT OF ELECTION CANVASSED AT STATE LEVEL. The official result of an election canvassed by the governor or by the legislature is determined from the canvass of the county returns conducted by that authority. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. …

Sec. 67.015. STATE ELECTION REGISTER. (a) An election register shall be maintained for the governor. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (e), for each election the election register shall contain in tabulated form the information required to appear in the tabulations of the coun…

Sec. 67.016. CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION. (a) After the completion of a canvass, the presiding officer of the local canvassing authority shall prepare a certificate of election for each candidate who is elected to an office for which the official result is determined by that authorit…

Sec. 67.017. REPORTING PRECINCT RESULTS TO SECRETARY OF STATE. Text of subsection prior to the amendments made by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1184 (S.B. 2753), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2025. Applies to elections ordered before the date the Secretary of State issues the repo…

Sec. 68.001. 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 c…

Sec. 68.002. ACCESS TO TABULATION SYSTEM. (a) During the tabulation, the secretary of state shall provide a sufficient number of display terminals for representatives of the news media to monitor the tabulation. The secretary shall provide direct lines between computers for use b…

Sec. 68.003. DISPLAY TERMINALS FOR CERTAIN STATE OFFICERS. (a) For monitoring the tabulations, the secretary of state shall provide display terminals without charge to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives in their Capitol offices. The sec…

Sec. 68.004. PERIODIC REPORTS DURING TABULATION. (a) Periodically during the tabulation, the secretary of state shall publish reports covering the races being tabulated. (b) The periodic reports may include: (1) vote totals for all contested races being tabulated; (2) vote totals…

Sec. 68.005. FINAL REPORTS OF TABULATION. (a) After completion of the tabulation, the secretary of state shall publish a final report covering the races being tabulated. (b) The final report may include: (1) the information described by Section 68.004(b); (2) vote totals by count…

Sec. 68.006. REPORT OF RECEIPT OF COUNTY RESULTS. The secretary of state shall publish a report indicating the times the first and last reports of results from each county were received by the secretary. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.007. POSTING REPORTS FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. (a) The secretary of state shall post for public inspection, on publication, one copy of each report published under Section 68.004. (b) The secretary of state may post for public inspection any of the reports prepared under thi…

Sec. 68.008. BACKUP SYSTEM. The secretary of state shall provide a backup system for the tabulation of the results. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.009. OPERATIONS MANUAL. Not later than the 90th day before the date of each election covered by this subchapter, the secretary of state shall prepare an operations manual that explains the procedures to be used by the secretary in tabulating the results. Acts 1985, 69th L…

Sec. 68.010. DISPOSITION OF FUNDS. Funds collected under this chapter may be appropriated only to the secretary of state for the administration of this chapter. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.011. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY SECRETARY OF STATE. The secretary of state shall prescribe any additional procedures necessary to implement the tabulation of unofficial results. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. SUBCHAPTER B. DUTIES OF LOC…

Sec. 68.031. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter applies to each election covered by Subchapter A in addition to and notwithstanding other provisions of this code. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.032. DELIVERY OF RETURNS AND VOTED BALLOTS. (a) In precincts using paper ballots, voting machines, or electronic voting system ballot counters, the copy of the returns required to be delivered to the county clerk shall be delivered not later than two hours, or as soon the…

Sec. 68.033. COUNTING OF EARLY VOTING BALLOTS. The early voting ballot board shall count the early voting ballots periodically throughout the day. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.53; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., …

Sec. 68.034. TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS TO SECRETARY OF STATE. (a) The county clerk 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 continuousl…

Sec. 68.051. MEMBERSHIP. (a) Not later than January 1 of each even-numbered year, the lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and secretary of state shall each appoint six persons to serve on an elections advisory committee in connection with the tabulation …

Sec. 68.052. CHAIR AND MEETINGS. (a) The secretary of state shall designate a chair and vice chair of the committee from among the media organization membership. (b) Meetings of the committee shall be held at the call of the chair. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan.…

Sec. 68.053. REVIEW OF OPERATIONS MANUAL. The committee shall review the operations manual prepared under Section 68.009 and make any recommendations it considers appropriate. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.054. MEMBERS PRESENT DURING TABULATION. One or more members chosen by the committee shall be present during the tabulation of the results at each election. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 68.055. EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TABULATION. The committee shall submit a written report after each election to the secretary of state, governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives evaluating the tabulation process and making any…

Sec. 81.001. EARLY VOTING REQUIRED. (a) In each election in this state, early voting shall be conducted by personal appearance at an early voting polling place and by mail. (b) A reference in a law outside this code to "absentee voting" means "early voting." Acts 1985, 69th Leg.,…

Sec. 81.002. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER CODE PROVISIONS. The other titles of this code apply to early voting except provisions that are inconsistent with this title or that cannot feasibly be applied to early voting. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended b…

Sec. 81.003. SUBSTITUTION OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM BALLOTS FOR PAPER BALLOTS. In an election in which an electronic voting system is used in regular voting but not for all or part of the early voting, the electronic system ballots prepared for use in regular voting may be used for ea…

Sec. 81.004. LOCATION OF PUBLIC ELECTION RECORDS. Election records for which the early voting clerk is custodian and that are public information shall be kept: (1) for an election in which a county clerk or city secretary is the early voting clerk, at the early voting clerk's mai…

Sec. 81.005. COMMON OR CONTRACT CARRIER. (a) A common or contract carrier may not be used to perform an act in accordance with this title unless the carrier: (1) is a bona fide, for profit carrier, the primary business of which is transporting or delivering property for compensat…

Sec. 82.001. ABSENCE FROM COUNTY OF RESIDENCE. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), a qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter expects to be absent from the county of the voter's residence on election day and during the regular hours for conducting early voting…

Sec. 82.002. DISABILITY OR CONFINEMENT FOR CHILDBIRTH. (a) A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter: (1) has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on election day without a likelihood of needing per…

Sec. 82.003. AGE. A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter is 65 years of age or older on election day. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 472, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg.…

Sec. 82.004. CONFINEMENT IN JAIL. (a) A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if, at the time the voter's early voting ballot application is submitted, the voter is confined in jail: (1) serving a misdemeanor sentence for a term that ends on or after election day; …

Sec. 82.005. ELIGIBILITY FOR EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE. Any qualified voter is eligible for early voting by personal appearance. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 472, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 7…

Sec. 82.007. PARTICIPATION IN ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM. A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if: (1) the voter submitted a registration application by personal delivery as required by Section 13.002(e); and (2) at the time the voter's early voting ballot …

Sec. 82.008. INVOLUNTARY CIVIL COMMITMENT. A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if, at the time the voter's early voting ballot application is submitted, the voter is a person who is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator under Chapter 841, Health and …

Sec. 83.001. EARLY VOTING CLERK GENERALLY. (a) The early voting clerk shall conduct the early voting in each election. (b) The clerk is an officer of the election in which the clerk serves. (c) The clerk has the same duties and authority with respect to early voting as a presidin…

Sec. 83.002. COUNTY CLERK AS EARLY VOTING CLERK. The county clerk is the early voting clerk for the county in: (1) the general election for state and county officers and any other countywide election held at county expense; (2) a primary election; and (3) a special election order…

Sec. 83.003. CLERK FOR LESS-THAN-COUNTYWIDE ELECTIONS HELD AT COUNTY EXPENSE. (a) In a less-than-countywide election ordered by the commissioners court, county judge, county board of school trustees, or any other county authority and held at county expense, the county clerk is th…

Sec. 83.004. CLERK FOR ELECTIONS ORDERED BY COUNTY AUTHORITY NOT HELD AT COUNTY EXPENSE. (a) In an election ordered by the commissioners court, county judge, county board of school trustees, or any other county authority and not held at county expense, the authority ordering the …

Sec. 83.005. CLERK FOR CITY ELECTIONS. The city secretary is the early voting clerk for an election ordered by an authority of a city. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 203, Sec. 2.06; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 554, Sec…