Election Code § 51.008

Sec. 51.008. SUPPLEMENTING DISTRIBUTED BALLOTS. (a) The authority responsible for distributing election supplies shall retain a reserve of ballots to supplement the distributed ballots and on election day may reallocate previously distributed ballots among the polling places. (b) The authority shall enter on the record of ballot distribution the number of ballots reserved and the number of ballots distributed from the reserve to each polling place. The range of serial numbers on the ballots shall be included in the record. (c) If distributed ballots are reallocated, the authority shall indicate the reallocation on the record of ballot distribution and shall issue a receipt to each presiding election judge showing the number of ballots and the range of serial numbers on the ballots taken from the judge's polling place for redistribution. Each presiding judge shall indicate on the ballot register any reallocation of ballots affecting that polling place. (d) The authority shall retain the undistributed reserve for the period for preserving the precinct election records. (e) The authority responsible for procuring the election supplies for an election commits an offense if the authority intentionally fails to promptly supplement the distributed ballots upon request by a polling place. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by: Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 567 (H.B. 1661), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.