Did you know? Questions and Answers

#1 Did you know?   Did you move to Ellis County from another Texas County AND FORGOT to register in Ellis County? You might be eligible to vote a Limited Ballot if you are still an active voter in the old Texas county. If active, you could vote on the races that are the same between both counties. This Limited Ballot process is ONLY AVAILABLE during the Early Voting period at the main polling location. Call our office for more info 972-825-5195.


#2 Did you know?   An election worker may give voting order priority to individuals with a mobility problem that substantially impairs the person’s ability to move around. If you wish to be given voting order priority, please indicate this to any election worker serving at the polling place. Click on the attached flyer for more information.   https://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/9043/7-7bf-Notice-of-voting-order-priority-8-2017?bidId=

 

#3 Did you know?  If you are physically unable to enter the polling place without personal assistance or the likelihood of injuring the voter’s health and or you exhibit symptoms of Covid-19, you may quality for curbside voting. When you arrive at the polling site, locate the “Curbside Voting” sign. Some locations have a button at that parking space to notify the workers you are there, or you can honk for assistance, or you can call our office at 972-825-5195 ext. 2 to let us know which site and we will contact the poll worker for you. Click on attached flyer for more information. https://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/11468/Curbside-Voting-Sign

 

#4 Did you know?   Persons are not allowed to use, record sound, or record images with a communication device (including but not limited to a cell phone, camera, sound recorders, etc.) within 100 feet of the voting stations. A voting station is an area where the voter marks the ballot. The election judge has the authority to require persons to deactivate any such device. However, written communications may be used by voters inside the polling place (i.e. bring a sample ballot with your selections). Please help the poll workers by not using your cell phone when standing in line or within the voting station area. Click on the attached flyer for more information https://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/10206/No-Electronic-Devices-within-100ft-of-polling-booths?bidId=


#5 Did you know?  The election code prohibits electioneering for or against any candidate, measure, or political party during the voting period and within 100 feet of an entrance to the building where the polling place is located. This includes face coverings, buttons, hats, t-shirts, emblems, pin, badge or any other similar communicative device. Poll workers will ask you to remove or cover the item while voting and or inside the polling place or 100 feet of the entrance. Any person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Please help the poll workers by not wearing such items when going to vote. Thank you!   Click the below sign for more information. https://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/10207/No-Electioneering-or-Loitering-within-100ft-of-entrance?bidId=

 

 #6   Did you know?   The elections office will publish unofficial Early Voting results at 7 p.m. on election night and Election Day results will be posted as they are received on election night. These will be unofficial results until all eligible late domestic mail ballots, overseas ballots and any provisional ballots have been counted by the 9th day after election day. The local canvass is the authority to declare the official results. 


#7 Did you know?  Why is the Census so important? Our population is constantly growing and an accurate count once a decade helps forecast services and programs for Ellis County residents. The census also plays a role in redistricting by reapportioning congressional seats, state and county district lines and voting precinct lines. An undercount could affect services to families, public transportation planning, hospital, and road funding, housing needs and more. Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone’s participation. Be 2020 Census Ready! Click for more information. https://2020census.gov/en.html


 #8 Did you know?   Photo ID is still required to vote in person in every Texas Election! With a few exceptions, voters must show an approved form of Photo ID or supporting documentation when voting in person. While you must have a photo ID to vote in person, it is OK if the name on your ID and voter registration are not exactly the same. Poll workers have been trained to account for names that might be substantially similar but not an exact match due to a number of circumstances including the use of nicknames, suffixes and changes of name due to life changes. Please visit the state’s website for more information. http://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.html

 

#9 Did you know?   What is a Primary Election? In Texas, primary elections are conducted by the major political parties (Republican and Democratic) to determine their nominees for a given elective office in advance of the November General Election. 

•   Texas primaries are open, meaning a voter does not have to be registered as a member of a party to participate in a primary election. Voters in Texas must sign a pledge when voting declaring that they will not vote or participate in another party's primary or convention in this voting year. 

  • When you check in to vote, the pollworker will ask you to tell them which party ballot would you like. You can verbally communicate with them or point to the sign (REP or DEM) that will be located on the table. 

•   Winners in primary elections in Texas are determined by majority vote. In the case that no candidate  receives more than the 50 percent plus 1 of votes cast, the top two candidates proceed to a runoff election.

  • If you did not vote in the original primary election, you can still vote in the runoff election by choosing either party.
  • If you did vote in the original primary election, you must vote in the same party for the runoff election. 
  • Primary Propositions: Each party is just "Polling/Surveying" their voters on their opinion of the propositions. You are voting to say you agree or disagree with the statement. In accordance with the Texas Election Code Section 172.087, “The state executive committee may provide by resolution that a proposal to include a demand for specific legislation or any other matter in the party’s platform or resolutions be submitted to a vote by placement on the general primary election ballot.”
  • More Party Affiliation Fact and Answers at this link: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/advisory2020-05.shtml

 

#10   Did you know?  You can become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar (VDR). You would be entrusted with the responsibility of officially registering voters in Ellis County. It is a 2-year appointment. Classes are held at the election’s office on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am (excluding holidays or election cycle). For more information, please see our website. http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/335/Volunteer-Deputy-Registrar-Program

 

#11 Did you know?   You can become a poll worker! Take a day off from work to serve your community and get paid for it! The Ellis Elections Department is recruiting civic-minded workers to serve at the polling places during an election. You must be a registered voter in Ellis County. Unless you are bilingual then you can be a registered voter in an adjacent county.  For more information and to apply, please click the link below and return the form. http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/7025/Clerk_Application_Ellis?bidId=

 

#12 Did you know?   High School students can help serve our community and get paid for it! The Ellis Elections Department is recruiting civic-minded high school workers who are 16 years of age or older to serve at the polling places during an election. You must attend a school within Ellis County. Unless you are bilingual then you can be a registered voter in an adjacent county.  To apply, please click the link below and return the form. http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/7026/Student_Application_Ellis?bidId=


#13 Did you know?  Since Photo ID is required at the polls, do you need an Election Identification Certificate (EIC)? Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) offices in Ellis County can issue EICs. Remember, you only need an EIC if you are voting in person and don't already have another form of approved photo ID. Click the link for more information. https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/electionID.htm

 

#14 Did you know?   Ellis County has been approved and authorized by the State of Texas to continue to hold elections using countywide precinct polling locations (Vote Centers). This allows Ellis County registered voters to vote at ANY Vote Center that is convenient for the voter. Voters can vote near where they work, live, or go to school within the county. You will no longer have to vote at your specific precinct location on Election Day. This will NOT eliminate your voter registration precinct number. That data is still very important to define the area and districts you live within. You can locate the district information on the voter certificate that we mail every two years to all active voters. 


#15 Did you know?   Pursuant to Section 127.201 of the Texas Election Code, the general custodian of election records must conduct a partial manual count (also called a post-election audit) of ballots in a percentage of precincts/vote centers after every election that we use our current electronic voting system. This hand count procedure is using the paper ballots that the voter cast into the tabulation machine at the polling location. A counting team consists of three people as follows: one member of a counting team shall read the ballot, and the other two members shall tally the votes as the ballots are read. Upon completion of the hand count for a precinct/vote center, a member of the counting team shall place one tally list in the ballot box containing the voted ballots and shall deliver the other tally list to the general custodian. The tally list received from the counting team is used to prepare the committee report of the hand count results compared to the automatic tabulating equipment results. The elections office provides the committee report to the State of Texas Election Division after every election held on a uniform election date. This partial manual count is not open to the public but each candidate in the election (or candidate representative) is entitled to be present at the count. Notice of precincts to be counted, date, hour, and place is posted at the election’s office not earlier than the 2nd day after election day. Even though the public can’t attend, we want to show how accurate the machines tally, so we will start posting the committee report here at this site after each election for the 22-month preservation period.



Have another question, email us at elections@co.ellis.tx.us