Why certain Texas counties need more 2024 voting locations | Natalia Contreras/The Texas Tribune
Texas election officials, particularly in certain counties, are facing challenges meeting the requirements of a new Republican-backed election law ahead of the March 5 primary. This law mandates a significant increase in polling locations for counties using vote centers for countywide voting, posing financial and logistical issues. Some officials are concerned about the availability of funds to purchase additional equipment and pay rental fees for more locations, while others worry about finding enough election workers. In the most populous county, Harris County, the local Republican party is advocating for legislative changes due to unintended consequences, including the need for joint primaries. Read ArticleTexas: Travis County GOP unable to secure resources for hand counting in primary election | Grace Reader/KXAN
The Travis County Republican Party in Texas was unable to secure the necessary resources to hand count early voting ballots in the March primary election, despite ongoing negotiations with the Travis County Democratic Party. Only Republican mail-in ballots will be hand-counted, while early voting ballots will not undergo the same process. The deadline for the GOP to gather volunteers and resources was December 31, and it was not met, according to County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado. Read ArticleTexas Republicans want to hand count 2024 primary ballots. Experts say it’s “a recipe for disaster.” | Natalia Contreras/Votebeat
Gillespie County Republicans in Texas plan to conduct their primary election by hand-counting votes, a method criticized by experts as time-consuming, costly, less accurate, and less secure than using machines. Despite the risks of lawsuits, reprimands, and unnecessary expenses, the county's GOP leaders have embraced this approach, recruiting and training volunteers to manually tally votes in dozens of races on over 3,000 expected ballots. The decision has raised concerns about the reliability and validity of the election outcome, potentially undermining confidence. Other counties, including Dallas and Travis, briefly considered hand-counting but rejected it due to logistical challenges and high costs. Read ArticleTexas: Republican push for hand counting leads to uncertainty about Travis County’s 2024 primaries | Nina Hernandez/Austin Monitor
The Travis County Republican Party's consideration of changes to the 2024 primary election, including hand counting of early vote totals and discontinuation of countywide vote centers, has led to concerns and a lack of agreement with the Travis County Democratic Party. The potential changes, driven by conservative activists, could impact voter convenience, increase costs, and create confusion. Read ArticleTexas: Harris County’s 2023 election shows progress, work remains ahead of 2024 | Natalia Contreras/The Texas Tribune
Harris County recently faced criticism from a judge for violating state law in the way it calculated the allocation of ballot paper for each polling location, which contributed to shortages and chaos during the 2022 election. The judge upheld the election results but emphasized that the county's election administration department failed to follow proper procedures in determining the paper supply needed. The law requires officials to calculate paper allocation based on previous comparable election turnout plus a 25% buffer. Harris County did not adhere to this and did not seek guidance from the secretary of state's office. The judge's ruling highlighted the need for better planning and adherence to election procedures to avoid similar issues in the future. The county's newly appointed election chief, Teneshia Hudspeth, expressed commitment to building trust with voters and addressing the problems highlighted in the ruling as the county prepares for the 2024 presidential election. Read ArticleTexas: Poll worker heart attack in Williamson County highlights poll watcher tensions | Natalia Contreras/Votebeat
A poll worker in Williamson County, Texas, initially had a heart attack while working at an early voting site. County officials initially blamed a voter fraud activist and poll watcher, Laura Pressley, for the incident, accusing her of causing the worker's distress. However, after Pressley threatened legal action, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell Jr. retracted the accusation and issued an apology. The incident highlights growing tensions between partisan poll watchers and election workers, escalating since the 2020 election, with baseless accusations and harassment making it difficult for election workers to do their jobs effectively. Pressley, a vocal opponent of electronic voting systems, has a history of suing counties and election officials over perceived violations of the Texas Election Code. She applied for the role of Williamson County elections administrator after the previous official's resignation but was not selected. Read ArticleTexas secretary of state releases Harris County 2022 election audit | Jess Huff/The Texas Tribune
A preliminary report from the Texas Secretary of State's office highlights "multiple failures" in Harris County's 2022 election administration, though it does not suggest any race outcomes were affected. The audit identified issues such as insufficient paper ballots at voting centers, discrepancies in voter registration records, and 3,600 unreported mail ballots. It also noted inadequate training for election workers. The report aims to address these problems before the 2024 election cycle. Harris County, the third most populous in the U.S., has faced legal challenges over its handling of the 2022 election, leading to legislative changes in election administration. Read ArticleTexas: Kerr County voting machine fight brings chaos for election planning | Natalia Contreras/The Texas Tribune
In Kerr County the push for hand-counting ballots has led to significant disruptions in the local election administration, resulting in three different officials being responsible for running elections in the past two months. The effort, led by Republican County Commissioner Rich Paces, stems from baseless suspicions about the security of electronic voting equipment. This move has divided the overwhelmingly Republican county and will cost taxpayers around $250,000 due to the frequent changeovers. Reads ArticleTexas: Loving County’s epic elections feud is back, and bitter as ever | Eric Dexheimer/Houston Chronicle’
Loving County, the least-populated county in the U.S., is grappling with a peculiar political issue: it has around 65 residents but about 110 registered voters. This discrepancy arises from former residents who, though having relocated elsewhere, still designate Loving County as their voting residence. Some maintain primary residences just beyond the county's borders, while others reside hundreds of miles away. This situation has led to legal challenges, prompting questions about the legitimacy of their voting ties to the county, as Sheriff Chris Busse notes that many only appear during elections or the annual Christmas party. The article also highlights the intense personal and familial rivalries within the county's politics, which have further complicated election matters. The recent November 2022 election resulted in three legal challenges, with candidates alleging that out-of-town voters favored powerful local families. The legal proceedings have become intricate, with lawyers scrutinizing voters' personal lives, homes, and ties to the county, creating a complex web of allegiances and disputes. The judge presiding over the case is expected to make a decision by the end of October, with possible appeals looming. Read ArticleTexas: ‘My Vote Was Rejected’: Trial Underway Over New Voting Law | Edgar Sandoval/The New York Times
A trial is underway in San Antonio, Texas, regarding the state's controversial election overhaul known as S.B. 1, which was passed in 2021 by a Republican majority. The law introduced new voter identification requirements for mail-in voting, made it harder to use voter assisters, set criminal penalties for poll workers, and banned 24-hour voting and drive-through voting. Critics argue that the law disproportionately affects voters with disabilities, elderly voters, and those who do not speak English. The trial is providing an opportunity for affected voters to share their experiences. Read ArticleTexas: What’s at stake in the long-awaited trial over sweeping 2021 elections law | Natalia Contreras/The Texas Tribune
The trial for the legal challenge against Texas Republicans' voting and election law overhaul, known as Senate Bill 1, began in federal court in San Antonio. More than 20 state and national organizations have brought lawsuits against the law, claiming it violates federal laws including the Voting Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and constitutional amendments. The law, passed in 2021, faced criticism from Democrats who argued it was based on unfounded voter fraud claims. Plaintiffs argue that certain provisions of the law make it more difficult for voters of color to cast their ballots, with some alleging this effect was intentional. The trial is expected to last until late October, with a decision possibly coming months later. The case could potentially impact elections and voting in 2024, though appeals could prolong the process. Read ArticleTexas law abolishing Harris County elections office goes into effect | Jen Rice/Houston Chronicle
Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth and Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Ann Harris Bennett have assumed responsibility for running elections and voter registration following the implementation of a new Texas state law that abolished the elections administrator's office in Harris County. Senate Bill 1750, which applies only to Harris County, eliminates the appointed elections administrator role and reverts the duties for overseeing elections to the county clerk and voter registration to the tax assessor-collector. A separate law, Senate Bill 1933, allows the state to remove elected officials if a "recurring pattern of problems" is not addressed. Critics argue that these changes are politically motivated and may hinder voter access. Read ArticleTexas: Harris County Commissioners Court to hold public discussion on elections office transition ahead of November | Jen Rice/Houston Chronicle
Harris County Commissioners Court is preparing for a public discussion about a significant reorganization of elections administration duties ahead of the November election. The reorganization follows the implementation of a new state law that abolishes the Elections Administrator's office and transfers the responsibility of running elections and voter registration to the Harris County Clerk and Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector. Commissioners Court is also expected to vote on the distribution of elections office staff positions, with 131 positions going to the county clerk's office and 39 positions to the tax assessor-collector's office. This transition has been criticized for its lack of transparency, and it comes after a series of challenges and changes in election leadership within Harris County. Read ArticleTexas officials can’t toss mail ballots over ID mistakes, federal judge rules | Cayla Harris/San Antonio Express-News
A federal judge has ruled that a provision of Texas Senate Bill 1, which rejected nearly 40,000 absentee ballot submissions due to errors like mismatched numbers, violates the Civil Rights Act. The court found that these errors are not material in determining whether voters are qualified under Texas law to vote by mail. The decision is seen as a win for Texas voters, especially those who rely on mail-in ballots due to disabilities or age, and is aimed at ensuring that eligible voters' ballots are not rejected based on minor errors or omissions. This ruling follows concerns about the impact of the law, especially on minority voters, who were 50% more likely to have their mail ballots rejected, according to a study. Read ArticleTexas Supreme Court denies Harris County request to run November election and delay state law | Jen Rice/Houston Chronicle
The Texas Supreme Court has denied Harris County's request for an emergency order that would have allowed the Harris County Elections Administrator's Office to oversee the upcoming November election. This decision clears the way for Senate Bill 1750, a new state law abolishing the office, to go into effect on September 1. The county had sought an emergency order to delay the law's implementation while the state's appeal was pending. The Supreme Court's decision means that Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth and the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Ann Harris Bennett will be responsible for overseeing the election, which is now just weeks away. Read ArticleTexas judge blocks state-mandated changes to Harris County elections | Natalia Contreras/The Texas Tribune
The Texas attorney general’s office has appealed a judge's decision to temporarily block a new law passed by Republicans that aimed to abolish the elections chief position in Harris County, Texas. A Travis County district judge ruled that the law is unconstitutional and would disrupt the fall's elections. The law would have required the county to eliminate the elections administrator position and transfer election duties to the county clerk and the tax assessor-collector. The appeal was filed in the Texas Supreme Court, keeping the judge's order from taking effect. The decision is part of a larger debate about state authority over elections in Texas. Read ArticleTexas judge says no quick ruling expected over GOP efforts to toss 2022 election losses near Houston | Associated Press
A Texas judge overseeing Republicans' challenges to losses in the 2022 elections in Houston has indicated that a quick ruling shouldn't be expected after a trial where no GOP voters testified that they were unable to vote due to ballot shortages or delayed poll openings. The disputed races are all in Harris County, controlled by Democrats, and the trial was marked by a lack of testimonies from voters, with Republican lawyers relying on party-generated theories. The judge expects to issue a ruling in the coming weeks. Harris County's elections have been under scrutiny due to various issues in recent elections, and similar court challenges have emerged around the country following baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. Read ArticleTexas to Leave ERIC, a Voting Integrity Group Targeted by Right-Wing Attacks | Neil Vigdor/The New York Times
Texas has decided to withdraw from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a bipartisan voter integrity group that maintains accurate voter rolls. The state cited rising membership costs due to declining enrollment and a new state law requiring alternatives for crosschecking voter lists as reasons for the decision. ERIC, which helps prevent duplicate voter registrations and ensures voting accuracy, has faced attacks and defections from other Republican-led states after false claims that it is a voter registration tool for Democrats and has ties to liberal donors. Texas is the largest member of the coalition, which has lost several other states since last year, and its departure further destabilizes the organization. Read Article