Dallas canvassing committee forwards May election results to full council; recount intent noted for District 6

The ad hoc canvassing committee for the City of Dallas voted unanimously May 14 to forward a resolution accepting the results of the May general election to the full City Council, and noted an intent to request a recount in District 6.

The committee met Wednesday morning and reviewed the unofficial election-report materials and a canvass report that will be attached to the resolution sent to the council for adoption. Chair (name not specified) moved to forward the report “accepting the election results of the May general election to the full City Council for adoption with a note that an intent to ask for a recount has been received for District 6,” and the motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters: the canvass is the formal committee step that packages precinct-level and combined totals for the council and records known challenges before the council considers adoption. The committee’s action advances the official record to the full City Council while flagging the potential recount in District 6.

Elections staff summarized the materials and turnout details. Billy Ray, an elections official, told the committee the canvass report includes combined totals and a precinct-by-precinct breakout, the number of registered voters as of May 3, ballots cast, and a reported voter turnout of a little over 7 percent. Ray described how the report also breaks totals by early in-person, early-mail, provisional and election-day ballots and lists overvotes and undervotes for each race.

Ray said the new voting system generally worked well during the early voting period and on Election Day, with one machine-related shutdown at a Richardson location on the first day that was repaired without broader impact. He also said an incident occurred at a polling place identified as a Baptist church in District 8 on Election Day involving the presiding judge and an alternate judge; that matter is being handled separately.

Committee members asked about ‘‘overvotes’’ (where a ballot shows selections for more candidates than allowed) and whether the software can prevent overvotes on devices. Ray said the system routes ballots with ambiguous marks to judges for review and that staff will provide a breakout of how many overvotes were electronic versus mail ballots; he did not have the total number at the meeting.

The committee read and approved a canvassing resolution that documents the vote totals for all races and attaches the canvass report for submission to the full City Council. The resolution text recorded that the ad hoc committee was appointed Feb. 26, 2025, to canvass returns of the general election held April 3, 2025, to elect members to the Dallas City Council.

The meeting adjourned after committee members signed the order for the record. The canvass report and resolution will be distributed to council members ahead of the council meeting at which the results will be considered.

Quotes tied to meeting speakers: “The motion carries unanimously,” the chair said after the vote.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Forward canvass report and resolution accepting the May general election results to the full City Council for adoption; note an intent to request a recount for District 6. Outcome: approved (unanimous).