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Two Houston-area state lawmakers have authored measures in response to Harris County’s alleged mismanagement of elections, per a Texas Tribune article that was run by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK.
According to the report, State Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) and State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) each filed a bill that would allow the Texas Secretary of State's Office (SOS) to replace county elections heads in the event several complaints are filed.
The Texas Tribune reported that Oliverson crafted House Bill (HB) 2020 while Bettencourt submitted Senate Bill (SB) 823.
Last November’s general election in Harris County, the largest county in the Lone Star State, was purportedly plagued by numerous problems, including but not limited to malfunctioning computers and paper ballot shortages at several polling locations.
Per Houston Daily, several county Republicans challenged their contests, including Alexandra del Moral Mealer, who unsuccessfully sought to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
The publication reported that famed furniture store proprietor Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale was prompted to take legal action against the county in an effort to obtain access to public election records.
McIngvale insisted he’s not advocating for one side of the political spectrum.
The State of Texas had audited Harris County for how it handled the hotly contested 2020 presidential election, declaring that COVID-related “irregularities” didn’t impact the security of the Lone Star State’s elections two years ago, Houston Daily reported.
Harris County was also scrutinized for its reportedly poor handling of ballots in the state’s party primary races a year ago.
In a press release issued by Bettencourt’s office, the senator and Oliverson heavily criticized the county’s elections office.
“I’ve noticed a pattern of behavior that an appointed elections administrator in Harris County does a bad job, can’t find 10,000 votes, resigns and the next elections administrator can’t get ballot paper to the polls,” Oliverson said, referencing inaugural officeholder Isabel Longoria and her successor, Clifford Tatum.
Bettencourt echoed the representative’s sentiments.
“We can’t have local government elections administrators put on an election and not get thousands of ballots out of the warehouse to the polls for voters to vote on ever again!” Bettencourt said.