County Clerk
Election Study Group Report
I. Problem Statement
The components of a successful election system in Travis County can be compared with a three-legged stool. The first leg is accuracy of the count; the second is timeliness of results; and the third is cost to the voter/taxpayer. Recently, one of these components-timeliness of results-has come into question by our community. To address this concern, the Travis County clerk convened an election study group or task force to investigate the problems limiting timely election returns and recommend possible solutions to ensure that future elections comply with established community standards. The challenge of the 1999 Travis County Election Study Group is to balance the stool by allocating the correct resources to each leg so that a fragile egg, the integrity of the system, sitting on top does not roll off and destroy the public's confidence in the election process.
As the group investigated this issue, we found that the community expects election returns that are fully complete -- or at least complete enough to accurately predict the final outcome of each race-by the 10 PM news broadcast. The study group believes that consistently falling short of the public standard to report election outcomes during the 10:00 PM news undermines public confidence in the election process and leaves Travis County vulnerable to criticism.
Table 1. Travis County Election Statistics
The table below shows that Travis County generally completes election results between 10:30 PM and 1:30 AM, depending on the type and size of the election.
|
Election |
Type of Audit |
# of Scanners |
# of Precincts |
Voter Registration |
Early Vote Ballots Cast |
Election Day Ballots Cast |
Total Ballots Cast |
Final Returns Released |
|
11/98 General |
Central |
12 |
227 |
499,766 |
55,352 |
121,130 |
176,449 |
2:56 AM |
|
Joint with City (2 ballots) |
|
|
201 |
399,270 |
43,782 |
89,034 |
132,816 |
|
|
4/98 Dem Runoff |
Central |
6 |
227 |
482,544 |
3,336 |
8,898 |
12,234 |
11:15 PM |
|
4/98 Rep Runoff |
Central |
6 |
227 |
482,544 |
2,978 |
9,936 |
12,914 |
11:15 PM |
|
3/98 Dem Primary |
Central |
6 |
227 |
477,688 |
8,227 |
21,894 |
30,121 |
11:50 PM |
|
3/98 Rep Primary |
Central |
6 |
227 |
477,688 |
5,707 |
17,166 |
22,873 |
11:30 PM |
|
11/97 CnAmd |
Central |
12 |
213 |
478,873 |
24,300 |
80,601 |
104,901 |
12:41 AM |
|
Joint with City (2 ballots) |
|
|
188 |
375,746 |
10,315 |
33,205 |
43,520 |
|
|
8/97 Const. Amend |
Central |
12 |
213 |
471,948 |
19,687 |
21,269 |
40,956 |
10:35 PM |
|
11/96 General |
Central |
12 |
213 |
459,414 |
99,008 |
148,866 |
247,874 |
1:25 AM |
|
4/96 Dem Runoff |
Precinct |
6 |
213 |
422,633 |
4,700 |
16,017 |
20,717 |
11:30 PM |
|
4/96 Rep Runoff |
Central |
6 |
213 |
422,633 |
4,762 |
13,616 |
18,378 |
11:30 PM |
|
3/96 Dem Primary |
Precinct |
6 |
213 |
415,690 |
12,181 |
27,951 |
40,132 |
11:40 PM |
|
3/96 Rep Primary |
Central |
6 |
213 |
415,690 |
13,394 |
29,584 |
42,978 |
12:20 AM |
|
11/95 Const. Amend |
Precinct |
12 |
204 |
404,035 |
11,598 |
31,680 |
43,278 |
11:30 PM |
|
11/94 General |
Central |
12 |
204 |
371,892 |
97,600 |
114,632 |
212,232 |
1:00 AM |
|
4/94 Primary Runoff |
Precinct |
12 |
204 |
381,407 |
6,856 |
29,401 |
36,257 |
10:30 PM |
|
3/94 Primary |
Precinct |
12 |
204 |
379,131 |
12,549 |
34,508 |
47,057 |
12:30 AM |
|
11/93 Const. Amend |
Precinct |
12 |
195 |
369,379 |
12,613 |
51,317 |
63,930 |
11:30 PM |
|
6/93 Joint Runoff |
Precinct |
12 |
195 |
363,837 |
36,989 |
60,010 |
96,999 |
Midnight |
|
5/93 Joint Special |
Precinct |
12 |
195 |
359,468 |
29,184 |
75,101 |
104,285 |
Midnight |
|
11/92 General |
Precinct |
12 |
195 |
352,737 |
118,641 |
157,833 |
276,474 |
1:30 AM |
As illustrated above, over the past decade, Travis County has, on average, completed election results by midnight. In the past, final returns by midnight often allowed the county to satisfy the public demand for information because a large number of precincts were in by 10:00 PM, and an accurate projection of the winners and losers of an election could be made during the 10:00 PM news broadcast. This standard is no longer regularly being met, and providing completed or substantially completed returns by 10:00 PM has become difficult or impossible in medium to large elections. The main factors contributing to this delay include:
- legally required hand audit procedures which make it necessary to examine each ballot for "voter intent,"
- the sensitive policy of examining ballots for voter intent only at the central counting station,
- a greater voter population and an increase in the number of ballots cast,
- delays in delivering some election day voted ballot boxes to receiving substations,
- a positive trend toward holding more joint elections, and
- closely contested local races.
In addition to addressing these issues and examining Travis County's current voting system, the study group also is reviewing the potential impact of federally mandated changes and court rulings related to accommodating voters with visual or other physical limitations. In America, everyone is entitled to vote a secret ballot. However, not all Americans actually enjoy that right.
In order to cast a ballot, most current voting systems require voters who have visual or physical limitations to reveal their vote choices to another person. Several Texas counties have recently undergone litigation ending in a ruling for the counties to provide a secret ballot voting process for all visually impaired voters, which is currently required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). In addition, pending federal and state legislation may require all counties to use voting systems that address secret balloting for all individuals. Our current optical scan voting system does not address secret balloting for individuals with visual impairments or other disabilities which prevent use of a writing instrument.
The 1999 Travis County Elections Study Group convened in February 1999. As shown by the membership roll, the county clerk brought together community leaders from diverse environments -- including politics, government, and technology -- to investigate Travis County's ballot counting problems and recommend solutions. The results of these efforts are detailed in this report.
- return to Table of Contents
- continue on to Study Group Members
