TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview
Agency History
Scope and Contents of the Records
Arrangement of the Records
Restrictions
Index Terms
Related Material
Administrative Information
Description of Series
Election returns (precinct-by-precinct),
1972-1988,
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Texas Secretary of State, Elections
Division:
An Inventory of Election Returns (Precinct-by-Precinct) at
the Texas State Archives,
1972-1988
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Creator: |
Texas. Elections Division. |
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Title: |
Election returns
(precinct-by-precinct) |
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Dates: |
1972-1988 |
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Abstract: |
These records include
precinct-by-precinct returns of primary and general elections,
precinct-by-precinct canvass survey forms, lists of candidates who have filed
applications for a place on the primary ballot, certifications of nominees for
the general election, notices of party officers, precinct maps, and
accompanying correspondence, dating 1972-1988, filed in the Elections Division
of the Texas Secretary of State. The races reported include federal, state,
district, and county, plus constitutional amendment elections. The basic
documents in each county's file are the returns, which report the number of
registered voters per precinct, and the number of votes (and sometimes the
percentages) per candidate per precinct. Other types of documentation may not
always be present in a county's file. |
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Quantity: |
99.25 cubic
ft. |
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Location: |
Please note that some of these records are stored at the State
Records Center. Records requested before 10:00 a.m. will usually be available
by 4:00 p.m. the same day. Records requested after 10:00 a.m. and before 3:00
p.m. will usually be available by noon the next day. |
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Language |
English. |
The Texas Secretary of State is a constitutional officer of the
executive branch of state government, appointed by the governor and confirmed
by the senate for a term concurrent with the governor's (a two-year term at
first, a four-year term since 1974). The office was first created by the
Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836, and has been continued by each
succeeding Constitution.
The Secretary of State has an enormous number of duties and
responsibilities, including the following: authenticating the publication of
all laws passed by the state legislature; approving comptroller's accounts
against the state prior to payment; maintaining a register of all official acts
and proceedings of the governor, and all appointments to state boards and
commissions; interpreting and enforcing the Texas Election Code, as the state's
chief election officer; keeping the Seal of the State of Texas; maintaining
many business-related filings, including corporation and Uniform Commercial
Code filings.
The office of the Secretary of State is divided into five divisions:
Executive, Elections, Statutory Filings, Administrative Services, and
Information Services.
The Elections Division assists the Secretary of State in interpreting
and applying the Election Code and other election laws. The Secretary of State,
as Chief Election Officer of the State, has specific functions under the
Election Code, which include receiving, examining, and filing the official
certified returns of all general elections, special elections for members of
the legislature, and constitutional amendment elections.
Since 1835, returns of general and special elections for district,
national (for the Republic), statewide, and federal offices have usually been
certified to the Secretary of State by county judges. The county judge filed a
certificate of election and qualification with the Secretary of State for
county and precinct offices, which include the following: county judge, county
clerk, district clerk, county attorney, county treasurer, county surveyor,
sheriff, county tax collector, county tax assessor, county superintendent of
public instruction, inspector of hides and animals, public weigher, justices of
the peace, constables, county commissioners. The 1st Legislature approved a law
on May 11, 1846 requiring the Secretary of State to furnish forms to county
election officials for election returns, and to receive certified election
returns from these officials for members of the legislature. The 15th
Legislature approved an Act regulating elections on August 23, 1876, which
among other things, required that duplicate election returns be filed with the
Secretary of State for the following races: members of the legislature (state
senators and state representatives), governor, lieutenant governor,
comptroller, treasurer, commissioner of the General Land Office, attorney
general, judges of the Supreme, appellate and district courts, district
attorneys, and representatives of the Congress of the United States. Additional
state elective offices were added to this list as they were created:
superintendent of public instruction (1884), railroad commissioners (1890),
commissioner of agriculture (1907), and elected members of the State Board of
Education (1949). When U.S. Senators began to be chosen by popular election
after the ratification of the 17th amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1913),
they also were (eventually) added to the returns. For most of these offices,
the Secretary of State was required to open and count the returns in the
presence of the governor and the attorney general.
At the close of an election day, the presiding judge delivers Envelope
Number 1 (containing precinct returns) to the presiding officer of the local
canvassing authority. Precinct returns are then canvassed by the commissioners'
court of the county, or by the political subdivision's governing body in
elections below the county level.
Texas law now requires county clerks (originally county judges,
1951-1971) to report precinct results to the Secretary of State (Section 125 of
House Bill 6, 52nd Legislature, Regular Session, 1951; and Section 125a of
Senate Bill 23, 62nd Legislature, Regular Session, 1971). The Secretary of
State must preserve the reports (or the tabulations of reports) of precinct
results for Statewide races, for both general and primary elections, for 10
years, and thereafter to transfer the reports or tabulations to the State
Library. The same procedure and retention periods apply to maps of precinct
boundary changes. (V.T.C.A., Election Code, Sections 42.037, 66.002, 66.058,
67.017, and 172.124)
Return to the Table of Contents
These records include precinct-by-precinct returns of primary and
general elections, precinct-by-precinct canvass survey forms, lists of
candidates who have filed applications for a place on the primary ballot,
certifications of nominees for the general election, notices of party officers,
precinct maps, and accompanying correspondence, dating 1972-1988, filed in the
Elections Division of the Texas Secretary of State. The races reported include
federal, state, district, and county, plus constitutional amendment elections.
The basic documents in each county's file are the returns, which report the
number of registered voters per precinct, and the number of votes (and
sometimes the percentages) per candidate per precinct. Other types of
documentation may not always be present in a county's file. The canvass survey
form also lists (precinct-by-precinct) the numbers of votes received for each
candidate for statewide or district office, and for or against each
constitutional amendment. (These forms constitute returns in compliance with
the Texas Election Code.)
Lists of candidates who have filed applications for a place on the
primary ballot give the following information: county, party, office sought,
name of candidate, street address, home and business phone numbers.
Certifications of nominees for the general election give the name of each
candidate as it is to appear on the official ballot, the office, and the
candidate's address. Notices of party officers, certifying the election of
party officers at primary elections, give the names and addresses of the county
chairman and precinct chairmen. Also included are precinct maps for many
counties.
Apparently missing are precinct-by-precinct returns for Waller thru
Zavala Counties dating 1982.
Election returns (precinct-by-precinct) are created as part of the
official record of election results, in order to determine the winner in each
race, and to resolve any disputes over the outcomes of elections. They are
submitted to the Secretary of State in compliance with the Texas Election Code.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to
provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
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Arrangement of the Records |
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These records are arranged chronologically by year, then
alphabetically by county name. For 1976, primary election returns are filed
first, followed by general election returns. For 1978, Harris County Democratic
primary and general election returns are filed first, followed by Dallas County
general and Travis County Democratic primary returns, and then all other
counties. |
Return to the Table of Contents
Restrictions on Access
No legal restrictions. Regarding questions of confidentiality of
candidates' addresses and telephone numbers, please note the following from the
Texas Election Code:
- V.T.C.A., Election Code, § 141.035. Application as Public
Information: An application for a place on the ballot, including an
accompanying petition, is public information immediately on its filing.
- V.T.C.A., Election Code, § 1.012. Public Inspection of
Election Records: (a) Subject to Subsection (b), an election record that is
public information shall be made available to the public during the regular
business hours of the record's custodian. (b) For the purpose of safeguarding
the election records or economizing the custodian's time, the custodian may
adopt reasonable rules limiting public access. (c) Except as otherwise provided
by this code or Chapter 552, Government Code, all election records are public
information.
Many of the election returns in the following inventory--specifically,
those for 1976, 1978, 1980 (except for Dallas County), 1982 (Tarrant County
only), 1984, and 1986 (1995/041)--are in off-site storage at the State Records
Center. They must be requested for you by Archives staff. Records requested
before 10:00 a.m. will usually be available by 4:00 p.m. the same day. Records
requested after 10:00 a.m. and before 3:00 p.m. will usually be available by
noon the next day.
Those returns for 1972, 1974, 1980 (Dallas County only), 1982 (except
for Tarrant County), and 1988 (1989/092, 1991/163, 1994/013, and 2000/153) are
available on-site.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and
may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received
by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The
researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17
U.S.C.).
Technical Requirements
None.
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The terms listed here were used to catalog the
records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records. |
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Subjects: |
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Elections--Texas. |
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Places: |
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Texas--Officials and
employees--Selection and appointment. |
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Document Types: |
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Election
returns--Texas--1972-1988. |
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Printouts--Texas--Elections--1980. |
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Certificates--Texas--Elections--1972-1988. |
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Maps--Texas--Elections--1972-1988. |
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Lists--Texas--Elections--1972-1988. |
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Functions: |
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Regulating
elections. |
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The following materials are offered as possible
sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the
records. The listing is not exhaustive. |
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Texas State Archives |
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Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, Republic of
Texas election returns, 1835-1845, 3.06 cubic ft. |
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Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, State of
Texas election returns (county-by-county), 1846-1984 (not inclusive), 176.55
cubic ft. |
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Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, Election
materials, 1909, 1913, 1936, 1940-1984, 84.47 cubic ft. |
Return to the Table of Contents
(Identify the item), Election returns (precinct-by-precinct),
Elections Division, Texas Secretary of State. Archives and Information Services
Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession numbers: 1989/092, 1991/163, 1994/013, 1995/041,
2000/153
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Elections Division of the Secretary of State on January 13, 1989; May 31, 1991;
October 6, 1993; December 22, 1994; and May 15, 2000.
Laura K. Saegert, September 1989
Lisa M. Hendricks, July 1992
Tony Black, June 1996, May 2000, March 2005
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Election returns (precinct-by-precinct),
1972-1988,
99.25 cubic ft. |
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1972
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| Box |
| 1989/092-41 |
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Anderson thru Bowie Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-42 |
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Brazoria thru Coryell Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-43 |
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Cottle thru Frio Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-44 |
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Gaines thru Houston Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-45 |
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Howard thru Lampasas Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-46 |
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La Salle thru Moore Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-47 |
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Morris thru San Augustine Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-48 |
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Sabine thru Upshur Counties,
1972 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-49 |
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Upton thru Zavala Counties,
1972 |
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1974
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| Box |
| 1989/092-52 |
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Anderson thru Colorado Counties,
1974 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-53 |
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Comal thru Glasscock Counties,
1974 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-54 |
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Gray thru Kent Counties,
1974 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-55 |
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Kerr thru Orange Counties,
1974 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-56 |
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Palo Pinto thru Titus Counties,
1974 |
| Box |
| 1989/092-57 |
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Tom Green thru Zavala Counties,
1974 |
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1976
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| Box |
| 1995/041-1 |
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Anderson thru Harris Counties (primary),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-2 |
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Hartley thru Zavala Counties (primary),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-54 |
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Anderson thru Collin Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-55 |
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Collingsworth thru Frio Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-56 |
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Gaines thru Jones Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-57 |
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Karnes thru Motley Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-58 |
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Nacogdoches thru Somervell Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-59 |
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Starr thru Zavala Counties (general),
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-3 |
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Dallas and Harris Counties (general),
1976 |
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[either duplicating or supplementing
returns in previous boxes] |
| Box |
| 1995/041-4 |
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Various precinct-by-precinct returns for primary and
general election,
1976 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-5 |
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Various precinct-by-precinct returns for primary and
general election,
1976 |
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1978
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| Box |
| 1995/041-6 |
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Harris County (Democratic primary and general),
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-7 |
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Harris County (Democratic primary),
1978 |
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Dallas County (general),
1978 |
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Travis County (Democratic primary),
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-8 |
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Anderson thru Bowie Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-9 |
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Brazoria thru Comal Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-10 |
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Comanche thru Falls Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-11 |
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Fannin thru Hays Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-12 |
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Hemphill thru Knox Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-13 |
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Lamar thru Montgomery Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-14 |
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Moore thru San Jacinto Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-15 |
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San Patricio thru Travis Counties,
1978 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-16 |
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Trinity thru Zavala Counties,
1978 |
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1980
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| Box |
| 1995/041-17 |
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Anderson thru Brazos Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-18 |
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Brewster thru Coleman Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-19 |
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Collin thru Dimmit Counties,
1980 |
| volume |
| 1994/013-11 |
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Dallas County,
1980 |
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(General election) |
| Box |
| 1995/041-20 |
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Donley thru Galveston Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-21 |
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Garza thru Harris Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-22 |
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Harrison thru Jefferson Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-23 |
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Jim Hogg thru Lipscomb Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-24 |
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Live Oak thru Motley Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-25 |
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Nacogdoches thru Runnels Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-26 |
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Rusk thru Swisher Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-27 |
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Tarrant thru Tyler Counties,
1980 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-28 |
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Upshur thru Zavala Counties,
1980 |
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1982
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| Box |
| 1991/163-3 |
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Anderson thru Bowie Counties (001-019),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-4 |
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Brazoria thru Chambers Counties (020-036),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-5 |
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Cherokee thru Dickens Counties (037-063),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-6 |
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Dimmit thru Goliad Counties (064-088),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-7 |
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Gonzales thru Harris Counties (089-101),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-8 |
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Harrison thru Jeff Davis Counties (102-122),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-9 |
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Jefferson thru Lavaca Counties (123-143),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-10 |
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Lee thru Mills Counties (144-167),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-11 |
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Mitchell thru Rains Counties (168-190),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-12 |
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Randall thru Stonewall Counties (191-217),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-13 |
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Sutton thru Tyler Counties (218-229),
1982 |
| Box |
| 1991/163-14 |
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Upshur thru Walker Counties (230-236),
1982 |
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[Waller thru Zavala Counties
(237-254), 1982, are missing] |
| Box |
| 1995/041-29 |
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Tarrant County,
1982 |
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1984
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| Box |
| 1995/041-30 |
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Anderson thru Brazoria Counties (1-20),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-31 |
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Brazos thru Collin Counties (21-43),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-32 |
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Collingsworth thru Edwards Counties (44-70),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-33 |
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Ellis thru Guadalupe Counties (71-95),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-34 |
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Hale thru Howard Counties (96-115),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-35 |
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Hudspeth thru Lamb Counties (116-140),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-36 |
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Lampasas thru McLennan? Counties (141-161),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-37 |
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McMullen? thru Parmer Counties (162-185),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-38 |
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Pecos thru Sherman Counties (186-211),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-39 |
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Smith thru Travis Counties (212-227),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-40 |
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Trinity thru Williamson Counties (228-246),
1984 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-41 |
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Wilson thru Zavala Counties (247-254),
1984 |
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1986
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| Box |
| 1995/041-42 |
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Anderson thru Brazoria Counties (1-20),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-43 |
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Brazos thru Comal Counties (21-46),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-44 |
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Comanche thru Donley Counties (47-65),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-45 |
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Duval thru Goliad Counties (66-89),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-46 |
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Gonzales thru Hemphill Counties (90-107),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-47 |
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Henderson thru Jim Hogg Counties (108-125),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-48 |
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Jim Wells thru Loving Counties (126-151),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-49 |
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Lubbock thru McLennan? Counties (152-161),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-50 |
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McMullen? thru Parmer Counties (162-185),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-51 |
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Pecos thru Stephens Counties (186-215),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-52 |
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Sterling thru Val Verde Counties (216-233),
1986 |
| Box |
| 1995/041-53 |
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Van Zandt thru Zavala Counties (234-254),
1986 |
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1988
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| Box |
| 2000/153-1 |
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Anderson thru Bosque Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-2 |
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Bowie thru Childress Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-3 |
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Clay thru Dallas Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-4 |
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Dawson thru El Paso Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-5 |
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Erath thru Grimes Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-6 |
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Guadalupe thru Henderson Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-7 |
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Hidalgo thru Jim Wells Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-8 |
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Johnson thru Limestone Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-9 |
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Lipscomb thru McLennan Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-10 |
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McMullen thru Palo Pinto Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-11 |
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Panola thru San Augustine Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-12 |
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San Jacinto thru Tarrant Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-13 |
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Taylor thru Val Verde Counties,
1988 |
| Box |
| 2000/153-14 |
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Van Zandt thru Zavala Counties,
1988 |
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