The latest 2022 elections news from The Texas Tribune.
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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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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Currently, more than 80% of Texas voters can vote anywhere in their home county, a model that originated in Lubbock County. If lawmakers approve new legislation, that would change. Full Story
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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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The new law would force the county to move election duties under its clerk and tax assessor-collector, in reaction to what critics call a continued pattern of election problems. Full Story
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Two years ago, Texas lawmakers focused all their election changes in one bill. There are dozens of proposals this year, and many stem from concerns in Harris County — the nation’s third-largest county. Full Story
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County Judge Tim O’Hare wouldn’t rule out hiring someone who questions the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, calling it “not an automatic disqualifier.” Full Story
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Voters in nearly 100 counties — mostly rural — can vote at any polling site in their county. The sponsor, without offering evidence, said the practice was not secure despite years of successful elections in Texas with the system. Full Story
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Heider Garcia, like many other election officials across the country, faced death threats that stemmed from lies about the outcome of the 2020 election. Full Story
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State lawmakers approved the requirement — which attracted little attention or debate — in their massive overhaul of the state’s voting laws during a 2021 special Legislative session. Full Story
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Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. An assessment of Election Day problems at polling sites “has not yet revealed” whether any voters were turned away. Full Story
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Republican Adam Hinojosa conceded Friday after a recount that included three counties in Senate District 27, the most competitive senate district in the state. Full Story
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Ronna McDaniel has kept the RNC aligned with former President Donald Trump, who some Republicans have blamed for the party’s underwhelming performance in the midterm elections. Full Story
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In the latest fallout from Election Day woes, a GOP judicial candidate is suing to overturn her loss, citing unspecified data and “2,000 reports” of polling place problems. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Scott as secretary of state in October 2021, and he served in an interim capacity pending Senate confirmation. He is stepping down right before the legislative session, in which his appointment would have come up for debate. Full Story
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Adam Hinojosa finished 659 votes behind Democrat Morgan LaMantia in a race that garnered 175,415 total votes. Full Story
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After a last-minute challenge from the attorney general, county commissioners agreed to certify those provisional votes in time for the canvassing deadline. Full Story
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The state’s biggest county has no central system for tracking problems, so it still can’t say how many polling places opened late, ran out of paper or worked just fine. Full Story
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Scattered paper ballot shortages and late openings of polling places were among the glitches that prompted calls for scrutiny from statewide Republican officials. Full Story
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In Texas, 45.7% of the 17.7 million registered voters cast ballots in the 2022 midterm election. That’s 7.3 percentage points lower than the state’s total turnout in 2018 but higher than in every other midterm election in the last 20 years. Full Story
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