Texas Secretary of State Full Forensic Audit of 2020 General Election The Texas Secretary of State’s office has announced a full forensic audit of the 2020 General Election in Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Collin counties. The full forensic audit is being conducted in two phases, the first of which is already underway. The purpose of this audit is to ensure all Texas voters can have confidence in the elections systems in our state, and to address any outstanding issues county election officials may face that undermines the integrity of our elections. Phase 1: Testing Voting Machine Accuracy, Cybersecurity Assessments, and Identifying and Removing Ineligible Voters Who Cast Ballots in 2020 (Already Completed or Underway)
After every single Texas election, counties are required to conduct a partial manual count of electronic voting system ballots within 72 hours of the polls closing to ensure the accuracy of the tabulation of electronic voting systems results (Sec. 127.201). All counties are required to undergo an Election Security Assessment (ESA) of the county’s election system (Sec. 279.003). All 254 counties have completed these assessments. Under both state and federal law, the Texas Secretary of State’s office is empowered to maintain the accuracy of the statewide voter registration list to ensure that ineligible voters – including deceased individuals, individuals registered in multiple states or counties, and non-U.S. citizens – do not remain on the voter rolls (Secs. 18.061 – 18.0681). As part of the audit process, the office has received reports from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) regarding voters who may have voted twice in state and across state lines. We have also received a report of persons who may have been deceased when a vote was cast in their name. Finally, we have identified potential non-U.S. citizen voters and have directed county voter registrars to take action to verify the eligibility of registered voters and cancel their registration if they do not present proof of eligibility. Once that action has been taken, our office evaluates the persons cancelled and refers any instances of possible illegal voting to the Office of the Texas Attorney General for investigation (Sec. 31.006).
Phase 2: Comprehensive Election Records Examination (Spring 2022)
As part of the Texas Secretary of State’s duty to assist and advise all election authorities with regard to the application, operation, and interpretation of the Texas Election Code (Sec. 31.004) and to obtain and maintain uniformity in the application of the Code (Sec. 31.003), the office will conduct a comprehensive election records examination over the next several months to ensure election
administration procedures were properly followed during the 2020 General Election. The records examined from each county will include – but are not limited to – the following types of documents: o Logic & Accuracy Testing Records for Voting Machines, including: All test ballots voted Test Deck Records Testing Media o Early Voting and Election Day Materials, including: List of registered voters used in the 2020 General Election Daily Early Voting Rosters for in-person voting Chain of Custody forms that document the seals on the ballot boxes Chain of Custody delivery and pickup of equipment at voting sites Statements of Residence Reasonable Impediment Declarations Limited Ballot Applications Audit Logs from applicable Voting System Devices List of Rejected Provisional Ballots and reason for rejection Ballot and Seal Certificates Hand Delivery of a Ballot by Mail Roster and Forms Receipts of Sealed Early Voting Ballot Boxes o Signature Verification Committee Materials o Early Voting Ballot Board Materials, including: Receipt of Sealed Early Voting Ballot Boxes Poll List of Mail Voters Notice of Rejected Carriers and reasons o Central Counting Station Plan o Training Materials County election officials must retain these records for 22 months under both federal law (52 USC 20701) and state law (Texas Election Code Sec. 66.058). All of this information is available to the general public (Sec. 1.012). After a thorough examination of the abovementioned records and materials in each county, irregularities or deviations from election administration procedures that may have affected the accuracy of the electronic voting system ballot count could trigger a full manual recount of ballots in the affected precincts or polling locations, pursuant to the Secretary of State’s authority to ensure the accuracy of the tabulation of electronic voting system results (Sec. 127.202).