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 Mar. 23, 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

Accessed:
Mar. 23, 2024

§ 127.124’s source at texas​.gov