All > Government > Election
A person becomes affiliated with a political party when the person is accepted to vote in the party’s primary election or applies for and is provided an early voting or limited primary ballot to be voted by mail. Alternatively, a person may become affiliated with a political party when the person takes an oath of affiliation at the precinct convention. A person must be affiliated with a political party to be eligible to: (1) serve as a delegate to or otherwise participate in a convention held by a party; (2) be elected as a member of or be appointed to fill a vacancy on a state executive committee; or (3) be appointed to fill a vacancy on a county executive committee. To be eligible to affiliate with a political party, a person must be a registered voter or eligible to vote a limited ballot at the time of affiliating. A person who is affiliated with a political party is ineligible to become affiliated with another political party during the same voting year. Any party affiliation expires at the end of the voting year (calendar year) in which the person became affiliated.
- Browse Related Terms: Affiliation (with a political party), Convention, Independent Candidate, Nominee, Political Action Committee (PAC), Poll Watcher, Presidential Primary Election, Primary Election, Recount Representative, Straight-Party Vote, Undervote
All > Government > Election
Appointed by the authority ordering the election to serve in an election polling place on election day. Serves as a clerk unless needed to take over the role of Presiding Election Judge in the event of that person’s inability to serve.
- Browse Related Terms: Alternate Judge/Alternate Presiding Judge, City Secretary, County Clerk, County Election Board, County Election Commission, Custodian of Election Records, Early Voting Ballot Board, Early Voting Clerk, Election Clerk, Election Judge, Elections Administrator (EA), Filing Authority, Key to Ballot Box No.3, Main Early Voting Polling Place, Official Ballot, Order of Election, Permanent Branch (Early Voting) Polling Place, Polling Place, Temporary Branch (Early Voting) Polling Place, Voter Registrar
All > Government > Election
An application for a ballot submitted by a person who wishes to vote by mail for the reason of age or disability and that serves as an application for every election run by the early voting clerk for the remainder of the calendar year after the AABBM is submitted.
- Browse Related Terms: Annual ABBM, Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), Ballot Envelope, Branch Early Voting Location, Carrier Envelope, Early Voting by Mail, Early Voting Roster, Notice of Election, Qualified Voter, Residence Address, Voting Booth
All > Government > Election
To be entitled to vote an early voting ballot by mail, a person who is eligible for early voting must make an application for an early voting ballot to be voted by mail. The requirements to apply for a ballot by mail are very specific, and the ABBM form contains all of the information a person needs to provide in order to apply for a ballot by mail.
- Browse Related Terms: Annual ABBM, Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), Ballot Envelope, Branch Early Voting Location, Carrier Envelope, Early Voting by Mail, Early Voting Roster, Notice of Election, Qualified Voter, Residence Address, Voting Booth
All > Government > Election
The form filed by a candidate with the appropriate filing authority to apply for a place on a ballot. General Requirements for Application - A candidate's application for a place on the ballot that is required by this code must: (1) be in writing; (2) be signed and sworn to by the candidate and indicate the date that the candidate swears to the application.
- Browse Related Terms: Application for a Place on the Ballot, Calendar Year, Declaration of Write-in Candidate, Electioneering, Measure, Petition in Lieu of Filing Fee, Voting Year, Withdraw
All > Government > Election
Provides that home rule cities may provide by charter or charter amendment and general law cities by election may select a longer term of office than 2 years (i.e., 3 or 4 years). If a term length of greater than 2 years is chosen, all members of the governing body must be elected by majority vote, and any vacancy in such an office must be filled by special election within 120 days after such vacancy occurs.
- Browse Related Terms: Article XI, Section 11 (Texas Constitution), Charter City, General Law City, Gubernatorial General Election, Home Rule City, Law, Resign to Run Provision (Article XVI, Section 65, Texas Constitution), Special Election, Texas Administrative Code, Unexpired Term
All > Government > Election
Equipment, other than a voting machine, that compiles vote totals by ballot sorting, ballot reading, ballot scanning, or electronic data processing.
- Browse Related Terms: Automatic Tabulating Equipment, ballot, Ballot Image, Central Counting Station, Countywide Polling Place Program, Direct Recording Electronic Voting Machine/DRE, Duplicate Ballot, Electronic Voting System, Indelible Marker, Optical Scan Ballot, Paper Ballot, Recount, Voting System, Voting System Ballot, Voting System Certification, Voting System Equipment
All > Government > Election
Either in paper form or electronic, the mechanism for voters to show their vote preferences.
- Browse Related Terms: Automatic Tabulating Equipment, ballot, Ballot Image, Central Counting Station, Countywide Polling Place Program, Direct Recording Electronic Voting Machine/DRE, Duplicate Ballot, Electronic Voting System, Indelible Marker, Optical Scan Ballot, Paper Ballot, Recount, Voting System, Voting System Ballot, Voting System Certification, Voting System Equipment
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All > Government > Election
A ballot box is a container for ballots that can be locked (double-locked in case of a ballot box used for early voting by personal appearance) and sealed. Ballot boxes no. 1 and no. 2 are used for the deposit of voters’ marked ballots; ballot box no. 3 is used for delivering the voted ballots to their custodian after they are counted and for storing the voted ballots during the preservation period; and ballot box no. 4 is used for delivering defectively printed, spoiled, and unused ballots to their custodian after the election. Ballot boxes no. 1 and no. 2 must each have a slot in the top just large enough to receive a ballot. Ballot boxes no. 3 and no. 4 are not required to have a slot, but if a slot is provided, it may not be larger than that prescribed for boxes no. 1 and no. 2.
- Browse Related Terms: Ballot Box Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4, Ballot Instructions, Bilingual Requirements, Corrected Ballot, Limited Ballot, Proposition, Sample ballot, Specimen Ballot, Tabulation, Voting Station
All > Government > Election
The envelope, usually white, in which a voter places his marked ballot when voting by mail; also called a ballot secrecy envelope. This envelope is in turn placed in the Carrier Envelope.
- Browse Related Terms: Annual ABBM, Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), Ballot Envelope, Branch Early Voting Location, Carrier Envelope, Early Voting by Mail, Early Voting Roster, Notice of Election, Qualified Voter, Residence Address, Voting Booth
All > Government > Election
The ballot as it appears on a direct recording electronic (DRE) voting system.
- Browse Related Terms: Automatic Tabulating Equipment, ballot, Ballot Image, Central Counting Station, Countywide Polling Place Program, Direct Recording Electronic Voting Machine/DRE, Duplicate Ballot, Electronic Voting System, Indelible Marker, Optical Scan Ballot, Paper Ballot, Recount, Voting System, Voting System Ballot, Voting System Certification, Voting System Equipment
All > Government > Election
The wording found at the top of the ballot, but below the words “OFFICIAL BALLOT,” that instructs a voter on how to mark the ballot. Examples of statutory ballot instructions include: “Vote for the candidate of your choice in each race by placing an “X” in the square beside the candidate’s name.” Or, if more than one candidate is to be elected in any race on the ballot, “Vote for none, one, two, . . .or ” (in the numerical sequence appropriate for the number of candidates to be elected). There are also specific instructions for straight-party voting, propositions, and for electronic voting machine ballots. See Secs. 52.070 – 52.072, 124.063.
- Browse Related Terms: Ballot Box Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4, Ballot Instructions, Bilingual Requirements, Corrected Ballot, Limited Ballot, Proposition, Sample ballot, Specimen Ballot, Tabulation, Voting Station
All > Government > Election
Bilingual election materials (printed in English and Spanish) shall be used in elections in this state.
- Browse Related Terms: Ballot Box Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4, Ballot Instructions, Bilingual Requirements, Corrected Ballot, Limited Ballot, Proposition, Sample ballot, Specimen Ballot, Tabulation, Voting Station
All > Government > Election
Either Permanent or Temporary – a location other than the main early voting site where voters can vote early by personal appearance.
- Browse Related Terms: Annual ABBM, Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), Ballot Envelope, Branch Early Voting Location, Carrier Envelope, Early Voting by Mail, Early Voting Roster, Notice of Election, Qualified Voter, Residence Address, Voting Booth
All > Government > Election
A document that is good for the calendar year effectively “expires” on December 31 at the end of the year. That is, it is not necessarily good for a full year from the date of filing (unless filed on January 1).
- Browse Related Terms: Application for a Place on the Ballot, Calendar Year, Declaration of Write-in Candidate, Electioneering, Measure, Petition in Lieu of Filing Fee, Voting Year, Withdraw
All > Government > Election
An election may be cancelled under certain circumstances as allowed by law. Reasons for cancellation include candidates being unopposed or a moot measure (i.e., the action to be authorized by the voters may not be taken, regardless of the outcome of the election).
- Browse Related Terms: Cancellation of An Election, Canvass, Certificate of Election, Election Contest, Election Night Returns, Final Canvass, Local Canvass, Local Election Register, Moot Measure, Overvote, Popular Vote, Tally List, Voting Machine
All > Government > Election
A person who is running for an elected office.
- Browse Related Terms: Candidate, Early Voting in Person/Early Voting by Personal Appearance, Hatch Act, Holdover Provision (Article XVI, Section 17, Texas Constitution), Incumbent, Oath (or Affirmation) of Office, Statement of Elected or Appointed Officer, Vacancy
All > Government > Election
The procedure performed by the governing body of the political subdivision whereby the election results become official. At the time set for convening the canvassing authority for the local canvass, the presiding officer of the canvassing authority shall deliver the sealed precinct returns to the authority. The authority shall open the returns for each precinct and prepare a tabulation stating for each candidate and for and against each measure the total number of votes received in each precinct and the sum of those precinct totals (the tabulation must also show the total number of voters who cast a ballot). Two members of the authority constitute a quorum for purposes of canvassing an election.
- Browse Related Terms: Cancellation of An Election, Canvass, Certificate of Election, Election Contest, Election Night Returns, Final Canvass, Local Canvass, Local Election Register, Moot Measure, Overvote, Popular Vote, Tally List, Voting Machine
All > Government > Election
The envelope in which a voter places his sealed ballot envelope (containing his marked by-mail ballot). The voter then seals the carrier envelope, signs the back flap on the signature line, and mails this to the early voting clerk conducting the election in which the voter is casting a ballot.
- Browse Related Terms: Annual ABBM, Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), Ballot Envelope, Branch Early Voting Location, Carrier Envelope, Early Voting by Mail, Early Voting Roster, Notice of Election, Qualified Voter, Residence Address, Voting Booth
All > Government > Election
An official count of the number of people in a region. The federal census is done by the federal government every 10 years.
- Browse Related Terms: Census, District Office, Election Assistance Commission (EAC), Federal Election, Federal Election Commission (FEC), General Election, General Election for State and County Officers, Legal State or National Holiday, retention period, Statewide Office, Uniform Election Date