Tex. Election Code Section 127.124
Early Processing of Ballots

(a)

The authority adopting an electronic voting system for use in an election in which ballots are processed at a central counting station may provide by resolution, order, or other official action that processing the electronic system ballots will begin while the polls are open for voting on election day.

(b)

The authority shall state in the official action the intervals during the day at which the ballots are to be delivered from the polling places to the central counting station for processing.

(c)

The boxes in which the ballots are delivered to the counting station may be returned to the polling places for use in subsequent deliveries. If a box to be reused is a sealed ballot box authorized by Subchapter C, the authority responsible for distributing election supplies to the polling places, or the authority’s designee, shall lock and seal the box at the counting station in the same manner as for the initial locking and sealing of the box and then deliver it to the appropriate polling place.

(d)

The precinct election records shall be delivered to the central counting station in the last ballot box delivered from the polling place to the counting station.

(e)

The authority may restrict early ballot processing to ballots voted at particular polling places by designating the polling places in the official action providing for the early processing. The authority may restrict the early processing to activities preparatory to the counting of ballots by stating in the official action the activities that are to be performed before the closing of the polls.

(f)

Early processing of ballots under this section does not affect the time at which the results of the election may be disclosed.

(g)

If the counting of ballots begins before the polls close, the provisions applicable to absences from the polling place by election officers while the polls are open apply to the personnel serving at the central counting station. The presiding judge shall supervise the absences.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 92, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Source: Section 127.124 — Early Processing of Ballots, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/EL/htm/EL.­127.­htm#127.­124 (accessed Jun. 5, 2024).

127.001
Establishment of Central Counting Station 127.002
Counting Station Manager 127.003
Tabulation Supervisor 127.004
Assistants to Tabulation Supervisor 127.005
Presiding Judge of Counting Station 127.006
Counting Station Clerks 127.007
Plan for Counting Station Operation 127.008
Bystanders Excluded 127.009
Electronic Devices in Central Counting Station 127.010
Training 127.0015
Central Counting Station Officers: Oath and Identification 127.061
Sealed Ballot Boxes Required 127.063
Design of Ballot Box 127.064
Seals for Ballot Boxes 127.065
Sealing Ballot Box 127.066
Sealing Deposit Slot 127.067
Disposition of Election Records 127.068
Receiving Sealed Ballot Box at Counting Station 127.069
Sorting Ballots 127.091
Test of Tabulating Equipment Required 127.092
Testing Authorities 127.093
Times for Conducting Test 127.094
Design of Test 127.095
Determining Success of Test 127.096
Conduct of First Test 127.097
Conduct of Second Test 127.098
Conduct of Third Test 127.099
Security of Test Materials 127.100
Custody of Test Materials 127.121
Programmer for Tabulating Equipment 127.122
Approval of Program 127.123
Security of Program 127.124
Early Processing of Ballots 127.125
Preparing Ballots for Automatic Counting 127.126
Duplicating Ballots 127.127
Operating Equipment and Handling Ballots Restricted 127.128
Ballots Tabulated by Precinct 127.129
Correction of Results After Equipment Malfunction 127.130
Manual Counting 127.131
Preparing Returns 127.132
Disposition of Ballots, Returns, and Other Records 127.151
Applicability of Subchapter 127.152
Test of Tabulating Equipment Required 127.153
Test Repeated if Equipment Malfunctions 127.154
Identification Numbers Required for Equipment 127.155
Presiding Judge to Sign Tape 127.156
Tabulation at Central Counting Station if Discrepancy Exists in Ballot Totals 127.157
Processing Irregularly Marked Ballots 127.201
Partial Count of Electronic Voting System Ballots by General Custodian 127.202
Count of Electronic Voting System Ballots by Secretary of State 127.301
Applicability of Subchapter 127.302
Risk-limiting Audit 127.303
Rules 127.304
Publication of Results 127.305
Pilot Program 127.306
Waiver Not Permitted 127.351
Randomized County Audits 127.1231
Security of Automatic Tabulating Equipment 127.1232
Security of Voted Ballots 127.1301
Centrally Counted Optical Scan Ballots 127.1311
Announcing Unofficial Results
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Accessed:
Jun. 5, 2024

§ 127.124’s source at texas​.gov