Included in this section are the following topics:
Central Committee Office
Election at the Primary
Certificates of Nomination
Internet Access to Results
Non-Partisan Local Office at the General
A Tie Vote
Non-Partisan Office Election at the Primary
Official Canvass & Official results
Partisan Office Nomination at the Primary
Partisan Office Nomination at the General
A Tie Vote
INTERNET ACCESS TO RESULTS: Tulare County results will be posted on this web site beginning with absentee results on election night, after the polls close at 8:00 P.M. Results will be updated when all precincts have been counted. All election night results are UNOFFICIAL until the post elections official canvass process has been completed (usually several days later). Results may be periodically updated during the official canvass process and will be posted as they are available.
OFFICIAL CANVASS & OFFICIAL RESULTS: The election official must conduct an official canvass starting not later than the Thursday following the election. (Election Code 15301, 10547) During the canvass procedure the computer results are checked against the precinct ballot statements and roster of voters. (Elections Code 14405) Absentee and mail precinct ballots turned in at the polling place after 1:00 P.M. on Election Day are processed and counted. The voters who voted in the election are data entered from the official precinct rosters. Voter history is applied for the precinct voters as well as voters who returned a voted absentee ballot. A comparison of absentee voters to precinct voters is run. (Elections Code 15278) Provisional ballots cast by voters whose eligibility could not be determined on Election Day are researched and a determination is made whether or not each ballot should be counted. (Election Code 14310) Votes for valid write-in candidates must be hand tallied. (Election Code 15341) Damaged ballots that could not be counted on Election Day are duplicated and counted. (Elections Code 15270) An automatic hand recount is conducted for 1 percent of the precincts in the election and an additional precinct is counted for each race not included in the initial group of precincts. (Elections Code 15360) When the election official is satisfied that all results are full, complete and correct, a Certification of Results is issued and an Official Statement of Votes is prepared. The Official Final Results must be presented to the governing body per Elections Code 15372.
PARTISAN OFFICE NOMINATION at the PRIMARY: TO BE NOMINATED the candidate of a political party who receives the highest number of votes at a primary election is the nominee of the party at the ensuing general. (Elections Code 15451) Except for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States who are nominated by party delegates at their national party conventions.
PARTISAN OFFICE ELECTION at the GENERAL: The person who receives a plurality of the votes cast for (the) office is elected. (Elections Code 15452) The exception to this rule is for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States for more information see the Electoral College Home Page.
If a TIE VOTE for any state office, except for Governor or Lieutenant Governor, or any federal senate or congressional seat makes it impossible to determine who has been elected; the Secretary of State shall determine the tie by lot. (Elections Code 15651a) In the case of a tie in the highest number of votes for Governor or Lt. Governor the Legislature shall by a joint vote of both houses, choose one of the persons to fill the office. (Elections Code 15654)
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OFFICE ELECTION at the PRIMARY: Party Central Committee and Party County Council candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall be elected to fill the number of seats available. There are no runoff elections for central committees. Democratic, Republican and American Independent party candidates are elected by supervisorial districts. No candidate shall be elected to these committees unless he or she receives at least 20 votes. (Elections Code 15460, 15470 and 15480) Green, Libertarian, Natural Law and Reform Party committee candidates are elected on a countywide basis. (Elections Code 15490)
NONPARTISAN OFFICE ELECTION at the PRIMARY: Any candidate for a nonpartisan office who at a primary election receives votes on a majority of all the ballots cast for that office shall be elected to that office. When a candidate has been elected to a nonpartisan office at the primary, that office shall not appear on the ballot at the ensuing general election. (Elections Code 8140) If no candidate receives a majority of all ballots cast for that office at a primary election then a runoff election between the top two vote receivers shall be held at the General Election. (Elections Code 8141) In case of a TIE VOTE, nonpartisan candidates receiving the same number of votes shall be candidates at the ensuing general. In no case shall the candidates determine the tie by lot. (Elections Code 8142)
NONPARTISAN LOCAL OFFICE ELECTION at the GENERAL: To be DECLARED ELECTED a candidate for a nonpartisan county, city, school district or special district office must have received the highest number of votes cast for that office as shown on the Official Statement of Votes. If there are two or more persons to be elected for an office, those candidates equal in number to the number of vacancies to be filled who receive the highest number of votes for the office shall be declared elected. (Elections Code 10550a, 15450 and 15452)
If a TIE VOTE makes it impossible to determine which of two or more candidates has been elected, the elections official shall notify the governing body of the county, city or district. The governing body shall set a time and place to determine the tie by lot and shall notify the candidates who received the tie votes to appear personally or by representative at the designated time and place. The candidate chosen shall qualify, take office and serve as though elected. In case of a nonpartisan state office The Secretary of State shall set the time and place to determine the tie by lot. (Elections Code 10551 and 15651a)
In lieu of determining a tie by lot the legislative body of a county, city or school district may resolve to tie by the conduct of a special runoff election. A special runoff election shall only be held if the governing body adopts the provisions prior to the conduct of the election which results in the tie vote. (Elections Code 15651b and Education Code 5016)
CERTIFICATES OF NOMINATION OR ELECTION for nonpartisan local offices, except for city offices, shall be issued by the county elections official immediately upon completion of the canvass. Certificates of election for city offices are issued by the City Clerk. The Secretary of State shall issue certificates of election or nomination for all partisan and statewide offices. (Elections Code 8146, 8147) Each elected candidate must file an oath before assuming the duties of office. (California Constitution, Article XX, Section 3 and Government Code 1360) Certain officers must also file an official bond. (Government Code 1450 et seq.)