- (a) The county chair shall use the table set out in the following figure to determine the number of precinct ballot counters and DRE units allowable for each precinct.
Attached Graphic
- (b) If a county chair determines that the number of precinct ballot counters and/or DRE units authorized under the formula is inadequate, he or she must obtain permission from the SOS to obtain additional machines, counters, or devices.
- (c) Pursuant to federal and state law, there must be at least one accessible voting unit in each precinct. If the county has only one accessible unit per precinct, the parties are encouraged to share that unit in a joint polling place. Sharing a polling place and sharing an accessible voting unit only is not considered a formal joint election pursuant to §172.126 of the Texas Election Code. Due to limited state funds, if the county does not have a sufficient number of accessible voting units for each party to lease independently, then the costs to lease additional accessible voting units may not be fully reimbursed by the state primary fund. In addition, county chairs must adhere to the requirements of the General Appropriations Act, 82nd Legislature, 2011 and §81.101(e) of this title (relating to Primary and Runoff Election Cost Estimate; Receipt of State Funds), which preclude reimbursement for expenses in excess of those that would have been incurred had the parties held a joint primary.
- (d) In precincts that are conducting a limited joint election for purposes of sharing a polling place and a Direct Record Electronic unit, the presiding election judge from the party whose candidate for governor received the highest number of votes in the precinct or consolidated precinct in the most recent gubernatorial general election shall deliver the DRE device containing the vote totals to the general custodian. The presiding judge of the party whose candidate for governor received the highest number of votes in the precinct or consolidated precinct in the most recent gubernatorial general election may designate the presiding judge or clerk of the other party to deliver the ballot box and/or DRE device.
Source Note:The provisions of this §81.125 adopted to be effective December 13, 2009, 34 TexReg 8665; amended to be effective March 7, 2012, 37 TexReg 1483.