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EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS: The 2012 Texas general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Test election tests begin Monday, Oct. 1, and continue through Monday, Nov. 5.

, AP CONTACTS

Direct questions about election tables and testing to regional election coordinator Will Wingfield at 978-927-0354; email: wwingfield_contractor(at)ap.org; only cell: 832-435-3921 after Nov. 1.

Direct questions about news and photo coverage to News Editor James Beltran at 972-991-2100; email: jbeltran(at)ap.org

Direct questions about AP Elections Online delivery to AP Customer Support at 877-836-9477 or apcustomersupport(at)ap.org

Documentation for the service also can be found at http://apdigitalsupport.ap.org.

Print members interested in premium services should contact Chief of Bureau Dale Leach at 972-991-2100; email: dleach(at)ap.org

TV members should contact regional television executive Sam Moore at 972-667-2227; email: srmoore(at)ap.org

Large-market radio members should contact sales executive Steve Labeau at 602-256-4697; email: slabeau(at)ap.org

Small-market radio members should contact sales executive Everett Jefferson at 202-736-9625; email: ejefferson(at)ap.org.

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, NOV. 6 GENERAL ELECTION

Election day: polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time

Election night results: First election night results with early and absentee totals are expected shortly after polls close for some counties.

Race calls: AP will make race calls during testing and on election night. Race call alerts can be found on Webfeeds, and on the print and broadcast wires, in the following formats:

, BC-TX-Pres-elected , Date Time,,

BULLETIN (AP) , , wins Texas.

, BC-TX-House- -elected , Date Time,,

BULLETIN (AP) , ,elected U.S. House, District , Texas.

AP will call races on election night in the following contested races, unless they are too close to call: President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Railroad Commissioner (regular and unexpired terms), Supreme Court, Criminal Court of Appeals, Board of Education, state senate, state house and Court of Appeals.

Uncontested races: AP will not tabulate uncontested races. A list of the races, TX-Uncontested, will move to premium services subscribers at ftp://electionsonline.ap.org/TX/anpa/ and to state news and broadcast wires.

Winners: AP will send a list of unofficial winners in called races at the end of its election night results tabulation. The winners list also will be sent during each test. Premium services subscribers will find TX-Winners at ftp://electionsonline.ap.org/TX/anpa/.

End of election night results tabulation: AP will advise when it has concluded tabulating results in its election night reporting system, which is generally before 5 p.m. local time the day after the election.

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AP will provide results for 198 contested races, 10 of which are statewide, including President, U.S. Senate and positions on the Railroad Commission, Supreme Court and Criminal Court of Appeals.

U.S. House District 3 is uncontested among the 36 U.S. House races. Districts 25, 33, 34 and 36 are new as incumbent Lloyd Doggett (Dem) competes in the otherwise new District 35. Incumbents Ron Paul (GOP - District 14) and Charlie Gonzalez (Dem - District 20) are retiring. Incumbent Silvestre Reyes (Dem - District 16) lost his primary race, making a total of seven open Congressional seats in the state.

In the Texas Legislature, 23 of the 31 state senate seats are contested, along with 87 of the 150 Texas House seats. State senators will draw lots for staggered 4-year terms when the new legislative session convenes.

Other races include all 15 state Board of Education seats and 29 positions for various regional Court of Appeals districts.

, TESTING SCHEDULE (All times are CENTRAL unless otherwise noted)

Testing: AP will test its election night reporting system from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on these dates: Monday, Oct.1; Wednesday, Oct. 3; Friday, Oct. 5; Monday, Oct. 8; Wednesday, Oct. 10; Friday, Oct. 12; Monday, Oct.15; Wednesday, Oct. 18; Friday, Oct. 19; Monday, Oct. 22; Wednesday, Oct. 24; Friday, Oct. 26; Monday, Oct. 29; Wednesday, Oct. 31; Friday, Nov. 2; Monday, Nov. 5.

Test reports will also be sent on Saturday, Nov. 3, during an afternoon rehearsal, times to be announced. The rehearsal reports may not fill precincts or include votes in all races.

There will be a transmission from 1-2 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6. It will include only zeros for vote totals. A similar transmission of reports with zeros will occur after the regular testing on Monday, Nov. 5.

AP's national election night reporting system also will be tested during state testing. See national testing advisories for details: BC-US--General Election, Tests Advisory; AP-Election Testing APTV/Newspower Max Advisory; AP-Election Testing Newspower Advisory; AP-Election Testing Headlines Advisory.

Precincts: Statewide and race-specific precinct totals used in initial testing are preliminary. The numbers will agree with secretary of state totals for election night. AP will advise when precinct totals are updated.

Important note about AP WebFeeds: With the introduction of AP WebFeeds, it is imperative that customers validate the formatting of election tables sent to state newspaper wires during weekly tests. Direct questions to AP Customer Support at (877) 836-9477 or apcustomersupport(at)ap.org.

, TESTING BASICS

Advisories will note updates to tables, including changes to candidates, races, precinct totals, etc., and will indicate the test date when noted updates will appear. Databases can change up to Election Day.

Capture each day's test during the test period, including the Monday test immediately preceding the election. Ensure you have the latest updates and that tables include votes for every candidate in every race and that every race goes to 100 percent of precincts reporting, unless otherwise noted in an advisory.

All tables are reported every five-to-seven minutes to digital services during testing and on election night.

All tables will move to news and broadcast wires during each day's hour-long test. Note that the frequency that reports run during tests may not reflect the schedule for election night as detailed below. For example, some county tables that Member Choice subscribers see during the tests will move to that service only once after midnight on election night. Premium service subscribers should note the scheduled frequency of results that will move to their regular AP news and broadcast services, in addition to the results that will move to their FTP folders.

Test table results have been created electronically to test the accuracy of the election night reporting system. They do not reflect an expectation of election night results. They should not be broadcast, published or replicated on websites.

, DEFINITIONS OF KEY WORDS IN SLUGS:

"TopRaces-Glance-Sum" includes a vote summary - giving the total number of precincts reporting, the candidates' names, their vote tallies and the percentage of the vote they have at that point - for these contested races: President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House Dist 14, U.S. House Dist 25, U.S. House Dist 33, U.S. House Dist 34, U.S. House Dist 36.

"OthState-Glance-Sum" includes a vote summary - giving the total number of precincts reporting, the candidates' names, their vote tallies and the percentage of the vote they have at that point - for these contested races: Railroad Commissioner (regular and unexpired terms), Supreme Court Place 2, Supreme Court Place 4, Supreme Court Place 6, Criminal Court of Appeals Presiding Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals Place 7, Criminal Court of Appeals Place 8.

"Contested" gives vote summaries by office type for these contested races:

U.S. House districts: 1, 2, 4-36. (Dist 3 is uncontested.)

State Senate districts: 1, 4-12, 14, 15, 17, 19-23, 25, 26, 29-30.

State House districts: 1, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29-31, 33, 34, 38, 39, 41, 43, 45-49, 51, 52, 54, 56, 59, 61-65, 69, 73, 74, 78, 84, 85, 87, 92-99, 101, 102, 105-109, 113-115, 117-121, 123-125, 127, 130-139, 141, 143, 144, 147-150.

"BdEd-All" gives vote summaries for all state Board of Education races: Districts 1-15.

"AppCt-All" gives vote summaries for these contested Court of Appeals races: 1st Dist Places 2, 6, 7, 8, 9; 3rd Dist Places 2, 3, 5, 6; 4th Dist Places 2, 3, 4, 5, 7; 5th Dist Places 2, 5, 9, 11, 12; 6th Dist Place 2; 8th Dist Place 2; 13th Dist Places 2, 4, 5; 14th Dist Places 3, 4, 5, 8. (Digital Feeds only.)

"Cnty" gives vote totals by county for each candidate for these contested races: President, U.S. Senate, multi-county U.S. House races, Railroad Commissioner (regular and unexpired terms), Supreme Court Place 2, Supreme Court Place 4, Supreme Court Place 6, Criminal Court of Appeals Presiding Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals Place 7, Criminal Court of Appeals Place 8.

"Reg-Geo-Sum" gives vote summaries by geographic region for each candidate for president (FTP only).

"Reg-Geo" gives vote summaries by county for each geographic region for each candidate for president (FTP only).

"Reg-Metro-Sum" gives vote summaries by metropolitan region for each candidate for president (FTP only).

"Reg-Metro" gives vote summaries by county for each metropolitan region for each candidate for president (FTP only).

"CntyLong" gives vote summaries for each candidate in a county-by-county, long format for the President and U.S. Senate races (FTP only).

"Trend" tables show whether Democrats, Republicans or "Other" are gaining or losing seats in a state's Congressional delegation, the state Senate and the state House.

, ELECTION NIGHT SLUGS BY SERVICE

Here are the slugs for results tables in the races AP will be tabulating and the approximate times they will be moving each hour to digital feeds and various news/broadcast wires after polls close election night.

, PREMIUM ELECTIONS RESULTS VIA DIGITAL FEEDS (ANPA-FTP, APEO-FTP, HOSTED)

Results are updated every five to seven minutes for the following reports:

, NATIONAL ELECTION REPORTS:

Presidential Reports

(ftp://electionsonline.ap.org/Pres_reports/anpa):

US-Pres-Sum (national President Sum, top candidates)

US-Pres-SumA (national President Sum, all candidates)

, NATIONAL BALANCE OF POWER REPORTS

(ftp://electionsonline.ap.org/Trend/anpa):

US-Gov-Sum (national Governor balance of power)

US-Senate-Sum (national U.S. Senate balance of power)

US-House-Sum (national U.S. House balance of power)

, STATE ELECTION REPORTS:

TX-TopRaces-Glance-Sum.anpa

TX-House-Contested.anpa

TX-House-Trend.anpa

TX-OthState-Glance-Sum.anpa

TX-BdEd-All.anpa

TX-AppCt-All.anpa

TX-StSen-Contested.anpa

TX-StSen-Trend.anpa

TX-StHou-Contested-4-Takes.anpa

TX-StHou-Contested-1st-Add.anpa

TX-StHou-Contested-2nd-Add.anpa

TX-StHou-Contested-3rd-Add.anpa

TX-StHou-Trend.anpa

TX-Pres-Cnty.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-10-Takes.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-1st-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-2nd-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-3rd-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-4th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-5th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-6th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-7th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-8th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-CntyLong-9th-Add.anpa

TX-Pres-Reg-Geo-Sum.anpa

TX-Pres-Reg-Geo.anpa

TX-Pres-Reg-Metro-Sum.anpa

TX-Pres-Reg-Metro.anpa

TX-Senate-Cnty.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-10-Takes.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-1st-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-2nd-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-3rd-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-4th-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-5th-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-6th-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-7th-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-8th-Add.anpa

TX-Senate-CntyLong-9th-Add.anpa

TX-House-1-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-4-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-5-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-6-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-8-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-9-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-10-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-11-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-12-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-13-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-14-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-15-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-17-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-19-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-21-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-22-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-23-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-24-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-25-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-26-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-27-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-28-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-31-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-32-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-33-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-34-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-35-Cnty.anpa

TX-House-36-Cnty.anpa

TX-RailCo-2012-Cnty.anpa

TX-RailCo-UnexTm-Cnty.anpa

TX-SuprCt-Pl-2-Cnty.anpa

TX-SuprCt-Pl-4-Cnty.anpa

TX-SuprCt-Pl-6-Cnty.anpa

TX-CrimAp-Judge-Cnty.anpa

TX-CrimAp-Pl-7-Cnty.anpa

TX-CrimAp-Pl-8-Cnty.anpa

TX-Uncontested.anpa

TX-Winners.anpa

, WEBFEEDS/APEXCHANGE: , MEMBER CHOICE COMPLETE/LIMITED:

National Election Reports, see:

BC-US--General Election Tests-Member Choice,Advisory

BC-US--General Election Tests-National Reports,Advisory

State Election Reports

BC-TX-TopRaces-Glance-Sum, 2 times an hour from 19:20 at :20 :50.

BC-TX-OthState-Glance-Sum, once an hour from 20:10 at :10.

BC-TX-Pres-Cnty, once an hour from 19:20 at :20.

BC-TX-Senate-Cnty, once an hour from 19:50 at :50.

BC-TX-House-Contested, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

BC-TX-House-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

BC-TX-StSen-Contested, every 2 hours from 20:40 at 22:40, 00:40, etc.

BC-TX-StSen-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

BC-TX-StHou-Contested, 4 Takes, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

BC-TX-StHou-Contested, 1st Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

BC-TX-StHou-Contested, 2nd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

BC-TX-StHou-Contested, 3rd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

BC-TX-StHou-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

BC-TX-BdEd-All, once an hour from 19:45 at :45.

BC-TX-House-1-Cnty, once at 00:05.

BC-TX-House-4-Cnty, once at 00:05.

BC-TX-House-5-Cnty, once at 00:10.

BC-TX-House-6-Cnty, once at 00:10.

BC-TX-House-8-Cnty, once at 00:15.

BC-TX-House-9-Cnty, once at 00:15.

BC-TX-House-10-Cnty, once at 00:20.

BC-TX-House-11-Cnty, once at 00:20.

BC-TX-House-12-Cnty, once at 00:20.

BC-TX-House-13-Cnty, once at 00:20.

BC-TX-House-14-Cnty, once at 00:25.

BC-TX-House-15-Cnty, once at 00:25.

BC-TX-House-17-Cnty, once at 00:25.

BC-TX-House-19-Cnty, once at 00:25.

BC-TX-House-21-Cnty, once at 00:25.

BC-TX-House-22-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-23-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-24-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-25-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-26-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-27-Cnty, once at 00:30.

BC-TX-House-28-Cnty, once at 00:35.

BC-TX-House-31-Cnty, once at 00:35.

BC-TX-House-32-Cnty, once at 00:35.

BC-TX-House-33-Cnty, once at 00:35.

BC-TX-House-34-Cnty, once at 00:35.

BC-TX-House-35-Cnty, once at 00:40.

BC-TX-House-36-Cnty, once at 00:40.

BC-TX-RailCo-2012-Cnty, once at 00:05.

BC-TX-RailCo-UnexTm-Cnty, once at 00:05.

BC-TX-SuprCt-Pl 2-Cnty, once at 00:10.

BC-TX-SuprCt-Pl 4-Cnty, once at 00:10.

BC-TX-SuprCt-Pl 6-Cnty, once at 00:10.

BC-TX-CrimAp-Judge-Cnty, once at 00:15.

BC-TX-CrimAp-Pl-7-Cnty, once at 00:15.

BC-TX-CrimAp-Pl-8-Cnty, once at 00:15.

, OPENWIRE/NEWSPOWER MAX:

National Election Reports, see: AP-Election Testing APTV/Newspower Max Advisory

State Election Reports:

AP-TX-TopRaces-Glance-Sum, 2 times an hour from 19:20 at :20 :50.

AP-TX-OthState-Glance-Sum, once an hour from 20:10 at :10.

AP-TX-House-Contested, every 2 hourd from 19:40 at 21:40, 23:40. etc.

AP-TX-House-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-StSen-Contested, every 2 hours from 20:40 at 22:40, 00:40, etc.

AP-TX-StSen-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 4 Takes, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 1st Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 2nd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 3rd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-BdEd-All, once at 21:45.

, NEWSPOWER:

National Election Reports, see: AP-Election Testing Newspower Advisory

State Election Reports:

AP-TX-TopRaces-Glance-Sum, 2 times an hour from 19:20 at :20 :50.

AP-TX-OthState-Glance-Sum, once an hour from 20:10 at :10.

AP-TX-House-Contested, twice, at 21:40 and 00:40.

AP-TX-House-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-StSen-Contested, every 2 hours from 20:40 at 22:40, 00:40, etc.

AP-TX-StSen-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 4 Takes, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 1st Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 2nd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Contested, 3rd Add, every 2 hours from 19:45 at 21:45, 23:45, etc.

AP-TX-StHou-Trend, once an hour from 19:40 at :40.

AP-TX-BdEd-All, once at 21:45.

, HEADLINES:

National Election Reports, see: AP-Election Testing Headlines Advisory

State Election Reports:

AP-TX-TopRaces-Glance-Sum, once an hour from 19:50 at :50.

The AP, Dallas

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