Tarrant County picks deputy county clerk to run elections, eschewing GOP activist
The county’s Election Commission unanimously appointed Clinton Ludwig to the job. None of the three finalists had any election administration experience. Full Story
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Natalia Contreras covers election administration and voting access for Votebeat in partnership with The Texas Tribune. She has covered a range of topics as a community journalist including local government, public safety, immigration and social issues. Natalia previously reported for the Austin American-Statesman, focusing on impacts of government policies on communities of color. Natalia previously worked at the Indianapolis Star, where she helped launch the first Spanish-language newsletter, and at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. She was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas in Mexico and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is based in Corpus Christi.
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![Cases of ballots and equipment at the Tarrant County Elections Administration building in Fort Worth, Texas. on May 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for The Texas Tribune -
GOP donor, voter fraud activist is a finalist to run elections in Tarrant County
Karen Wiseman previously sued former election administrator Heider Garcia and participated in a right-wing group’s search for 2020 voter fraud. She’s one of the three finalists, none of whom have experience running elections. Full Story
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![Karen Wiseman comments on an item concerning the current electronic poll book system in place during a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting in Fort Worth on April 18, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas is set to improve in-person and mail-in voting for people with disabilities
Voters with disabilities have been pushing for more accessibility for years. This legislative session two bills gained bipartisan support. Full Story
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![Chase Bearden, 45, of Harlingen, the deputy executive director of The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, poses for a portrait in his office in Austin on June 8, 2023. “Disability doesn’t discriminate,” Bearden said. “We want everybody to be able to vote independently.”]()
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Harris County elections face state intervention under new Texas voting laws
The bill’s sponsor says greater oversight is needed for Texas’ largest county as county officials have vowed to fight the legislation in court. Full Story
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![Ballots and scanning machines arrive at central counting after polls close in Houston, on Nov 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature averts $100 million consequences of 2021 law requiring nonexistent election technology
Lawmakers voted unanimously to reverse the 2021 provision that would have decertified equipment that counties use to count votes. Full Story
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![A bipartisan testing crew uses voting machines and tabulators during a state-mandated logic and accuracy test at the Hays County Government building in San Marcos on Sept. 21, 2022.]()
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Texas Senate again approves increasing penalty for illegal voting to a felony, regardless of intent
The House and Senate bills had differed on whether someone should be punished for voting by mistake. Now the two chambers must reach an agreement. Full Story
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![College students begin to vote at Texas A&M International University.]()
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Texas set to exit multistate program that cleans voter rolls
The multistate program, ERIC, is considered by election administration experts across the country to be the best tool for preventing double voting across state lines. It has been the target of conspiracy theories. Full Story
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![Election workers move ballots and equipment gathered at one of the nine rally sites to the Tarrant County Election Administration building in Fort Worth on November 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Harris County must remove its elections chief under new legislation headed to Gov. Greg Abbott
The Republican-led House also approved a bill that would give the secretary of state new authority to investigate complaints in Harris County. The Senate must review changes to that bill before it becomes law. Full Story
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![Ballots and scanning machines arrive at central counting after polls close in Houston, Tuesday Nov 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
After a setback, a GOP effort to get Texas out of a multistate coalition to clean voter rolls could move forward
The legislation — backed by some of the state’s prominent believers in voter fraud — was unexpectedly killed by its House sponsor Tuesday. On Wednesday, he asked for it to be reconsidered. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots on Election Day at the Northwest Branch Library in Fort Worth on November 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Alan Vera, a Republican voter-fraud activist, dies at Texas Capitol
Vera, who planned to testify on election legislation, was a regular at the statehouse. Two weeks ago, lawmakers sang “Happy Birthday” to him during a House Elections Committee hearing. Full Story
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![SD 7 delegate Alan Vera uses a megaphone to help direct priority ballots among the other delegates of his district during the third and final day of the Republican Party of Texas Convention on Saturday, June 18, 2022, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Wyke, Houston Chronicle/Contributor