Hidalgo County Elections Department

Central Counting Station Plan

Procedures for Central Counting Station under TEXAS ELECTION CODE SEC. 127.007:

I. Introduction:

a. The Central Counting Station will be located at:

i. Hidalgo County Elections Department Training Room A

1. 317 N. Closner “Rear”, Edinburg, Texas

2. Office phone number: 956 318 2570

b. Elections Administrator

i. Hilda A. Salinas

II. Roles and Responsibilities of Personnel:

a. Central Counting Station Manager:

i. Will manage overall administration of station and supervision of personnel.

b. Presiding Judge:

i. Will maintain order at Central Counting Station and administer oaths. Receives ballot boxes.

c. Tabulation Supervisor:

i. Will operate the automatic tabulating equipment and run results reports on the tabulator.

d. Assistant Tabulation Supervisor:

i. Will assist the Tabulation Supervisor

e. Central Counting Station Clerks:

i. Will compare names and number of received carriers on the list of the report, match the Ballot and seal certificate and then sort ballots and get them ready for counting by the Tabulation Supervisor.

III. General Rules of Conduct:

a. Follow all rules and regulations as per Texas Election Code.

b. Follow all rules and regulations as per Hidalgo County and Hidalgo County Elections Department.

c. Be courteous and respectful to all.

d. No electronic devices or cell phones are allowed in area while ballots are being processed for counting. Devices must be turned off/silent or secured away from the person.

IV. Covid-19 Procedures:

a. Face coverings: The County of Hidalgo highly recommends face coverings for all signature verification, ballot board and central count members to wear a face mask.

b. The County will provide hand sanitizer, mask, disinfecting spray and gloves for all members.

V. Security Procedures:

a. Upon entering Central Counting Station everyone is required to sign in and sign out when exiting.

b. Only authorized personnel will be allowed into the Central Counting Station, to include but not limited to:

i. Precinct election officers delivering locked and sealed ballot boxes

ii. Poll Watchers and Inspectors

iii. Law enforcement personnel summoned

iv. Staff from Secretary of State office

v. Federal Observers

vi. Election Department Personnel delivering supplies

c. Early Voting Ballot Board meets at the Central Count Station on or before Election Day where they start the process of getting early voted ballots ready to be counted:

i. Keys are delivered to the Early Voting Ballot Board Judge from a Sheriff’s Deputy (or if he is on the ballot then from the County Judge).

ii. Early Voting Clerk presents the list of persons that voted by mail, along with the ballot boxes including the voted ballots, applications and any necessary documents.

iii. Ballot by mail applications are reviewed by the Early Voting Ballot Board. (See Early Voting Ballot Board handbook for more details on rules and regulations)

VI. Paper ballots

a. Scan paper ballots by batches of 100 or less.

b. Do any adjudication as necessary.

c. Secure ballots and Vdrives.

VII. Procedures for Verity machines:

a. At the end of Early Voting:

i. After closing polls Early Voting Judges will bring back the Scans to the Elections Department office.

ii. Scans are to be secured all times.

iii. Early Voting Judges will deliver Scans to the Tabulation Supervisor.

iv. Tabulator Assistant will remove seal to Vdrive compartment, and then secure Vdrives.

v. Tabulator Supervisor will read in Vdrives from Early Voting and Count with tabulate off.

vi. Tabulator Supervisor will secure Vdrives.

b. At the end of Election Day:

i. After closing polls Election Day Judges will bring back Scans to Elections Department office located at 317 N. Closner “Rear”, Edinburg, TX

ii. Scans are to be secured all times.

iii. Election Day Judges will deliver Scans to Tabulator Assistant.

iv. Tabulator Assistant will remove seal to Vdrive compartment and deliver them to the Tabulator Supervisor.

v. Tabulator Supervisor will read in Vdrives with tabulate on and occasionally do website updates if needed.

vi. Tabulator Supervisor will secure Vdrives.