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Early Voting by Personal Appearance

Early Voting by Personal Appearance. 32 nd Annual Election Law Seminar County Election Officials. Overview. Election Clerks Early Voting Period Main Early Voting Polling Place Polling Place Procedure Poll Watchers Early Voting Roster Reporting

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Early Voting by Personal Appearance

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  1. Early Voting by Personal Appearance 32nd Annual Election Law Seminar County Election Officials

  2. Overview • Election Clerks • Early Voting Period • Main Early Voting Polling Place • Polling Place Procedure • Poll Watchers • Early Voting Roster • Reporting Note: Unless otherwise indicated all statutory references are to the Texas Election Code

  3. References to County Clerk • The county election officer is the: (1) county clerk; (2) county elections administrator; or (3) county tax assessor-collector. It depends on the actions of the county commissioners court. [§§ 31.031, 31.043, 31.071 & 31.091]

  4. Early Voting by Personal Appearance • The county voter registrar is the: (1) county clerk; (2) county elections administrator; or (3) county tax assessor-collector. It depends on the actions of the county commissioners court. [§§ 12.001, 12.031, 31.031, 31.043 & 31.071]

  5. Election clerks

  6. Early Voting Clerk • County election officer for the county in: • general election for state & county officers and any other countywide election held at county expense; • primary election; & • special election ordered by the governor. [§ 83.002]

  7. Early Voting Clerk • Election Services Contract: • Joint Election Agreement [§ 31.097]

  8. Deputy Early Voting Clerk • Appointed to assist the EV Clerk • Same authority as the EV Clerk • Subject to EV Clerk’s supervision

  9. Deputy Early Voting Clerk Permanent Deputy Early Voting Clerk Temporary Deputy Early Voting Clerk

  10. Appointment Procedure • Permanent EV Deputy – Eligibility: • not required to be qualified voter of the county

  11. Appointment Procedure • Temporary EV Deputy Clerk - Eligibility Reqs: • meet requirements for service as presiding election judge (§ 32.051), except: • not required to be qualified voter of any particular territory, other than: • County – if appointed by county clerk; or • City – if appointed by city secretary; • if EV clerk candidate, employee status does not make appointee ineligible; • not required to be qualified voter if employed by county or city, but must be a qualified voter of any territory [§ 83.032(b)]

  12. EV Deputy Clerk – List Procedure for Appointment Applies for the November General Election for State & County Officers (even-numbered years)

  13. List Procedure for Appointment • List Procedure • before July of each year • County Chair of each political party holding a primary election • Method of Appointment • county clerk shall select election officers • provide equal representation for each political party holding a primary election [§ 85.009]

  14. Student Election Clerk • NEW LAW: Senate Bill 553 (2013) • Eligibility • ineligible to serve as election clerk under § 32.051(c) • meets requirements under § 32.0511(b) • Compensation • same manner as other early voting clerks • Maximum # of student clerks • not more than 2 student early voting clerks at an early voting polling place [§§ 32.0511, 83.012]

  15. Early Voting Period

  16. Early Voting Period • General Rule: • starts 17 days before Election day and ends the 4th day before Election Day • Exception: May Uniform Date, Primary Runoff, Special Runoff and delayed start [§ 85.001(a)]

  17. Early Voting Period November 2014 Election: Monday, October 20, 2014 (15th day before election day) thru Friday, October 31, 2014 (4th day before election day) [§ 85.001]

  18. Dates & Times • Dependent upon who the EV Clerk is: • County Clerk in (a) gen. election for state & county election; (b) primary election; (c) special election ordered by governor; & (d) Countywide election held at county expense: [§ 85.005(a)]

  19. Dates & Times Hours– at the main early voting polling place during the weekdays & hours that the county clerk’s main business office is regularly open for business [§ 85.005(a)]

  20. Extended Early Voting Hours Counties with populations of 100,000 or more (main early voting location) Primary Election General Election for State & County Officers Special Election Ordered by Governor Last Week of EV 12 hours each weekday Last 2 days of EV 12 hours on each day

  21. Extended Early Voting Hours Counties with populations of less than 100,000 (main early voting location) yes written petition from 15 registered voters no Primary Election General Election for State & County Officers Special Election Ordered by Governor no extended hours Last 2 days of EV 12 hours on each day Last Week of EV 12 hours each weekday

  22. Early Voting - Weekends • County election officer may order by written order at the main early voting location for: • general election for state and county officers; • primary election; and • special election ordered by governor • Determine the extended hours on Saturday & Sunday [§ 85.006]

  23. Early Voting - Weekends • Voter Petition for Weekend Voting: • 15 registered voters • must order Saturday or Sunday early voting • may request day (Saturday or Sunday) but not date or hours [§§ 85.006, 85.007]

  24. Early Voting - Weekends • Counties with populations of 100,000 or more: • must conduct early voting as follows: [§ 85.006(e)] last Saturday last Sunday 12 hours 5 hours

  25. Early Voting - Weekends • Countieswith populations under 100,000: • receipt of petition of 15 registered voters • EV Clerk shall order voting conducted: • 12 hours on the last Saturdayand • 5 hours on the last Sunday [§§ 85.006, 85.007]

  26. Main Early voting polling place

  27. Main Early Voting Polling Location • Location dependent on who early voting clerk is: • County Clerk: (2) rules

  28. General Election for State & County Officers; Primary Election; Special Election Ordered by the Governor; or Countywide Election Held At The County’s Expense Main Early Voting Polling Location – • in a building that houses the main business office of the county clerk • can select any room in the building [§§ 83.002, 85.002(b)] =

  29. Less-Than Countywide Election Ordered By County Authority At County’s Expense or Election Ordered by County Authority Not County’s Expense Main Early Voting Polling Location – • early voting clerk must designate location • polling place must be in the territory covered by the election • polling place may be in the building that houses county clerk’s main business office, whether or not in the territory [§§ 83.002, 85.002(c)] =

  30. Note: Impracticable Location • Determined by Commissioners Court • Select a different location that is: (1) within the same city; and (2) located as near as practicable to the business office. [§ 85.002(b)]

  31. Note: Election Contracts REMEMBER • county clerk may be serving as early voting clerk, therefore: • main polling location may be at county office building [Ch. 271, generally]

  32. Note: Fee for Use of Building • IF building is normally open on each day of early voting – may not be charged for use of public building as a polling place • IF not normally open – you may be charged only as reimbursement for actual expenses [§ 43.033(a)]

  33. Note: Accessibility • Remember – like an election day polling place, early voting location must be accessible [§ 43.034(c), Ch. 469, Tex. Gov’t. Code]

  34. Branch Early Voting • Are they required? • How many locations? • What are the hours?

  35. Early Voting - Notice • Must state: • location of main early voting location; • date early voting in person begins (if, other than prescribed date); • regular dates & hours early voting in person will be conducted; • dates and times of Saturday and Sunday voting is ordered.

  36. Early Voting - Notice • Saturday or Sunday • 72 hours before start of early voting • post notice of dates and hours • Extended early-voting-in-person hours • counties with population less than 100,000 • posted no later than the 5th day before the start of early voting

  37. Early Voting - Notice • Branch Early Voting Polling Place • Note: although not required to list locations, dates and hours, our office recommendation is to do so.

  38. Polling place procedure

  39. Early Voting – Polling Place Procedure • Early Voting Clerk’s initials – • on the back of each ballot to be used at the early voting location [§ 85.0311]

  40. Early Voting - Polling Place Procedure Voter ID: 1 of 7 - acceptable forms of ID OR Voter must have “(E)” notation on voter registration certificate

  41. Voter ID Procedures • If voter does not present one of the acceptable forms of ID – • only able to vote a provisional ballot • Exception: “(E)” notation on voter registration certificate

  42. Voter ID Procedures • “Substantially Similar” – voter will be accepted for voting • Voter ID + Certificate, but not on OLRV – voter will be accepted for voting [§ 63.006]

  43. Statement of Residence • Voter must complete IF: • Voter still resides in the county of registration and • “S” notation next to voter’s name on OLRV ; OR • Voter responds in the negative to the question “Is the residence address in the list of registered voters still your correct address?” [§ 63.0011]

  44. Ballot Box Security • Double-locked (two locks with two different keys) and wire sealed • Early Voting clerk keeps key to one lock • Key to second lock – goes to person who gets the keys to ballot boxes used on Election Day (county elections – usually the sheriff) • Must not be unlocked until after delivery to early voting ballot board. [§§ 66.060, 85.032, 85.033]

  45. Ballot Box Security • Overnight – must be kept in a safe place • Voting machine must be secured at close of each day’s early voting • Recommended – ballot box & voting machine be sealed with wire hasp seal each night & record kept of such seals [§§ 85.032, 85.033]

  46. Ballot Box Security • End of Early-Voting-In-Person • Ballot boxes and voting machines • Sealed with hasp seals • Transported to main early voting location (if somewhere other than early voting clerk’s office); and • Secured in early voting clerk’s office or other secure location

  47. Assistance to Voter • Procedures the same as those on election day • except that only one election official instead of two may assist

  48. Assistance to Voter • NEW LAW (SB 910): procedure amended to provide that curbside voting conducted pursuant to § 64.009 – • Regular voting procedures modified to extent necessary to conduct voting; • Modifications include: taking battery-powered DRE for the voter to vote in lieu of paper ballot [§§ 64.009, 85.034]

  49. Electioneering • Person maynot electioneer for or against any candidate, measure or political party within 100 feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the building in which the polling place is located • Electioneering – posting, use, or distribution of political signs or literature [§§ 61.003, 85.036(a), 85.037]

  50. Electioneering • NEW LAW (HB 259): Entity that owns or controls a public building • maynot at any time during EV prohibit electioneering outside 100 ft. area • may enact reasonable regulations regarding time, place and manner [§ 85.036(b)]

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