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Election Advisory No. 2018-26

To: County Elections Officers (County Clerks/Elections Administrators/Tax Assessors-Collectors)
From: Keith Ingram, Director of Elections
Keith Ingram's signature
Date: August 30, 2018

RE:

Ballot Preparation and Sample Ballots for November 6, 2018 General Election

The county election officer is the authority responsible for preparing the official ballot for the November 6, 2018 General Election of State and County Officers. This memo will contain instructions on how to prepare your ballot. Additionally, the Sample Ballot for the November 6, 2018 General Election for state and county officers that is posted on our website is also available to assist you in your preparation.

Names of Candidates for the Ballot

  1. Major Party Nominees (Republican Party and Democratic Party): You will find the list of major party candidates posted to our website. You will have to select your county from the drop-down menu to see the major party candidates that are running for federal, state, district, county or precinct offices in your county.

    NOTE: The list should include any replacement nominees or nominees due to a vacancy that occurred after December 6, 2017. (Sections 145.036 and 202.006)

  2. Minor Party Nominees (Libertarian Party) for Federal, State and District Offices: You will find the list of minor party candidates running for federal, state and district offices posted to our website. You will have to select your county from the drop-down menu to see the minor party candidates that are running for federal, state, or district offices in your county.

  3. Minor Party Nominees (Libertarian Party) for County and Precinct Offices: Minor party candidates for county and precinct offices will not be listed on your county’s individual certification, as the minor parties of each county certify their candidates directly to the county election officer.

  4. Independent Candidates for Federal, State and District Offices: You will find the list of Independent candidates running for federal, state and district offices posted to our website. You will have to select your county from the drop-down menu to see the Independent candidates that are running for federal, state, or district offices in your county.

  5. Independent Candidates for County and Precinct Offices: The county judge should certify to you, not later than August 30, 2018, the names of independent candidates for county and precinct offices, if any.

Names of Write-in Candidates for List of Declared Write-In Candidates

  1. Write-In Candidates for Federal, State and District Offices: You will find the certified list of write-in candidates for federal, state or district office attached to this email as a PDF.

  2. Write-In Candidates for County and Precinct Offices: The county judge should certify to you, not later than August 30, 2018, the names of write-in candidates for county and precinct offices, if any.

Ballot Preparation Instructions

Our office suggests that you have the official ballot prepared, tested, and ready for use on or before Saturday, September 22, 2018 to comply with the deadline set by the federal MOVE Act for voters outside the United States who have requested ballots by mail. If the official ballot is not ready for mail out on or before September 22, then you must prepare emergency paper ballots to be sent out on or before September 22 to voters outside the United States who have requested mail ballots. YOU CANNOT DELAY THE SENDING OUT OF BALLOTS TO VOTERS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. Not having the official ballot ready is not a reason to miss this deadline.

The order of statewide, district, county, and precinct offices on the ballot and the order of parties on the ballot are governed by Sections 52.091 and 52.092 of the Code. In accordance with Section 52.094(a) of the Code, if there is more than one independent candidate for an office, there will need to be a ballot drawing. Other issues concerning the form of the ballot are governed by Subchapter C of Chapter 52 of the Code. You will find a copy of the sample ballot posted to our website.

If you are using an electronic ballot, you will not be able to follow the party column format as it appears on the sample ballot. Instead, you must list the party affiliation (or Independent) to the right of each candidate’s name and you may abbreviate the party affiliation (or Independent) as indicated on the ballot certification or print the party name (or Independent). If an abbreviation is used, the meaning of the abbreviation must be stated. (See memo regarding the printing of the legend.) If you print the name of the party, be sure to use Republican, Democratic (not Democrat), and Libertarian.

Please note that county chairs and precinct chairs do not appear on the General Election ballot.

Information specific to preparing your ballots with write-in candidates, printing the required legend instructions for party abbreviations, and procedures for uncontested candidates declared elected will be posted to our website in a separate memorandum.

If you have any questions regarding this memorandum or the information enclosed, please call the Elections Division toll-free at 1-800-252-2216 or email elections@sos.texas.gov.

KI:CA:KH