SVC Determination Regarding Signatures

Early Voting Ballot Board Composition and Function

The EVBB’s primary function is to assist with processing ballots by mail, provisional ballots, and early voting results from the territory served by the early voting clerk. The EVBB consists of a presiding judge, an alternate judge, and at least one other member. Except in the general election for state and county officers, each county chair of a political party with nominees on the general election ballot have to submit to the county election board a list of names of persons eligible to serve on the early voting ballot board in order of the county chair’s preference.310 The county election board then appoints at least one person from each list to serve as a member of the early voting ballot board. The same number of members must be appointed from each list.

The EVBB generally meets at least twice during an election. The purpose of the initial meeting is to qualify ballots by mail on either election day or after the last day to vote early in person. The EVBB then convenes after election day to review provisional ballots and to qualify any mail-in ballots received by the 5th and 6th day after election day from voters outside the U.S. and military voters.311 When determining whether to accept provisional ballots, the board is required to wait six days after election day to convene in order to give voters time to present valid photo identification, file a curing affidavit, or apply for and receive a disability exemption. For counties with a population of 100,000 or more, the Board may meet to review mail-in ballots beginning nine days before the last day of the early voting period. In 2020, the board could also compare and verify signatures with any two or more signatures made within the preceding six years.312

The EV clerk delivers the sealed early voting ballot box to the SVC who must inspect the box to determine whether the seals on the box are intact, and whether the numbers on the seals correspond to the numbers indicated on the record of serial numbers prepared by the early voting clerk.313

310 To be eligible to serve on the EVBB, a person must be a qualified voter of the precinct and satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the commissioner’s court. The appointee must be a qualified voter of the territory served by the EV clerk. See Tex. Elec. Code § 87.003. 311 Office of The Texas Secretary of State, Early Voting Ballot Board & Signature Verification Committee Handbook for Election Judges and Clerks 9 (2022). 312 Tex. Elec. Code § 87.041 (e), amended by Senate Bill 1. 313 Tex. Elec. Code § 87.027 (h).