Ellis County clerk briefs commission on election-day operations and reporting schedule

County Clerk Bobby Drelling updated the commission on election-day operations and how vote totals will be reported.

Drelling said polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and provided a phone number (628-9410) for voters who are unsure of their polling site. He reported that early voting concluded at noon the previous day and described a “fairly decent turnout” for early voting.

Drelling explained that ballots are not counted publicly in the meeting room; instead, polling site returns are uploaded to the election-night reporting machine in the clerk’s election room. He described the clerk’s practice of releasing results in multiple batches: an initial release after 7:00 p.m. covering early and advance mail results, a second release after four polling sites report, and a final release after the remaining four polling sites report. He said he distributes printed results to candidates and others who show up to the election office on election night.

Drelling emphasized that results released on election night are unofficial until the formal canvass scheduled for Wednesday, the 12th. He invited any questions and noted that official certified results will follow statutory canvass procedures.