COVID-19 is changing Election Day this year with new precautions and protocols at the polls, but it will not delay the election results.
“You are going to have your results on election night,” said Heider Garcia, the Tarrant County Elections administrator. “By law we have to. There is no provision that says election offices can claim COVID-19 or too many voters to delay results.”
The only ballots that will be counted late are absentee ballots and provisional overseas ballots, but Garcia said these are often very small amounts.
Voters are concerned election results may be delayed due to an expected increase in absentee voting.
“Part of our job is to be myth-busters,” Garcia said. “And a myth out there is that absentee gets added later and that’s actually not true. We don’t leave this office until we’ve posted every absentee ballot we’ve received up to and including Election Day.”
Garcia said the best way for Tarrant County residents to follow the results of the election in real time is to go to the county’s website.
“There is so much talk about misinformation and election interference – your best source for anything related to election is always your local elections office,” Garcia said.
To allow residents to follow their own absentee ballot, Tarrant County created a tracking service last month.
To follow the election results visit the Tarrant County Elections website, follow their Twitter @tarrantelection or contact the office at 817-831-8683.
