Legal Definitions - election returns

Election returns refer to the official reports that detail the vote counts from polling places or voting districts after an election has concluded. These reports are compiled by election officials responsible for counting ballots and are submitted to a central election authority, such as a county or state election board. They provide the raw data on how many votes each candidate received or how many votes were cast for or against a particular ballot measure or proposition.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a local election for city council members. After the polls close on election night, the poll workers at each voting precinct meticulously count all the ballots. They then complete an official form summarizing the total number of votes cast for each candidate in their specific precinct. This completed form, containing the vote totals, constitutes the election returns for that precinct, which is then sent to the county election office for aggregation.

• Consider a statewide referendum on a new infrastructure bond. Across the state, thousands of polling places record votes. Once voting ends, the election officials at each county's central counting facility compile the total "yes" and "no" votes from all their precincts. These compiled county-level vote totals, which are then transmitted to the state election board, are the election returns that contribute to the overall statewide result.

• In a small community, residents vote for new members of the school board. Volunteers at the community center, serving as the local polling place, are responsible for tallying the votes. After counting, they fill out a summary sheet indicating how many votes each school board candidate received. This summary sheet, reporting the final vote tallies from their location, represents the election returns that will be forwarded to the district's election supervisor.