Houston, TX – Senator Paul Bettencourt remarks on the Secretary of State’s election audit just released by Secretary Jane Nelson on serious issues with Harris County elections in 2022.

“The SOS Election Audit recognizes the obvious problems with Harris County’s November elections that lead to legislative changes, SB 1750, eliminating the Elections Administrator and returning elections to the elected County Clerk and the Tax Assessor-Collector. Having 9K more voters than were reported to the state system along with 3.6K more ballots sent out to voters but not reported to the state system are serious problems.

Secretary Nelson’s report also recognizes the obvious huge problem with ballot paper distribution not complying with state law. This lead to a disruption in the whole process and inadequate supplies at polling locations.

Basically, the County Government’s Election Administrator left 3 million sheets of ballot paper in the warehouse and didn’t get enough ballots to the polls resulting in voter suppression of thousands of votes! Let’s hope we NEVER see that again in any major county in Texas!” He concluded.

SB 1933 set up and continues monitoring of Harris County elections by complaint to the Secretary of State for any future elections starting September 1st, 2023.

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