Texas SOS Calls for Largest State Audit of Presidential Election, Will Include Hand- Count of ballots

The Texas Secretary of State, Jane Nelson, has announced a comprehensive post-election audit for the 2024 election, which includes the manual counting of ballots in certain races.

Ballots in specific races will be hand-counted as part of the audit process.Any identified fraud or irregularities will be subject to prosecution. The intent is to provide transparency and restore or maintain voter confidence in the electoral process.

This audit reflects ongoing efforts to uphold election integrity, as seen in previous audits following the 2020 election and the legislative changes from Senate Bill 1 in 2021, which mandated such audits. These measures are part of a broader initiative to scrutinize election processes, ensuring they adhere to state and federal laws.
“Texas leads the way in election integrity measures with checks before, during and after voting,” said Secretary Nelson. “This year’s audit will be the largest conducted in the state and underscore Texas' commitment to transparency."

Which races will be audited?

The Secretary of State’s office selected the presidential and U.S. Senate races for audit. Additionally, counties will be required to randomly select a county-level race.

What polling locations will be audited?

In accordance with Texas law, counties shall conduct a manual count of all the races in at least one percent of the election precincts. All counties will receive an email from the Secretary of State’s office that contains their randomly selected precincts or locations.

This year, the Secretary of State’s office also requires counties to perform a partial manual count in three additional precinct or polling places randomly selected by the county.

When will the audits happen?

Counties must begin the count no later than 72 hours after polls close. The count shall be completed no later than the twenty-first day after election day.

The partial manual count cannot change the outcome of races but can alert candidates to issues in the tabulation that could lead to a full recount or an election contest.

The partial manual count will be much larger and more expansive than previous post-election audits. To provide greater transparency and accountability to the Texas election process, the Secretary of State’s office has made the decision to include multiple offices and additional polling places for this election’s audit.