Sec. 33.056. OBSERVING ACTIVITY GENERALLY. (a) Except as provided by Section 33.057, a watcher is entitled to observe any activity conducted at the location at which the watcher is serving. A watcher is entitled to sit or stand conveniently near the election officers conducting the observed activity.

(b) A watcher is entitled to sit or stand near enough to the member of a counting team who is announcing the votes to verify that the ballots are read correctly or to a member who is tallying the votes to verify that they are tallied correctly.

(c) A watcher is entitled to inspect the returns and other records prepared by the election officers at the location at which the watcher is serving.

(d) A watcher may not be prohibited from making written notes while on duty. Before permitting a watcher who made written notes at a precinct polling place to leave while the polls are open, the presiding officer may require the watcher to leave the notes with another person on duty at the polling place, selected by the watcher, for retention until the watcher returns to duty.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.