The recent ruling on the 2022 Texas judicial election has unveiled significant electoral irregularities, prompting a call for a redo of the election.
Judge Orders New Election
In a surprising decision, Judge David Peeples ordered a new election for the 180th District Court in Harris County. This decision came after it was revealed that over a thousand illegal votes were cast in the race between Republican Tami Pierce and Democrat DaSean Jones. The number of invalid votes exceeded the margin of victory, making it impossible to determine the true winner.
Invalid Votes and Legal Findings
Pierce lost by just 449 votes, but Judge Peeples found that 1,430 invalid votes had been cast. These findings included votes from out-of-county residents whose Statement of Residence forms indicated addresses outside Harris County and incomplete forms lacking residence information. Additionally, during an extended voting hour due to an error by the Harris County Elections Administration Office, Jones gained a net margin of 321 votes over Pierce.
Specific Allegations Confirmed
Pierce’s complaints highlighted several issues, including hundreds of votes from individuals who did not reside in Harris County and those who left their forms blank or incomplete. Judge Peeples confirmed these allegations, identifying 983 unlawful votes from out-of-county residents. Furthermore, he found that 445 votes were cast by individuals who failed to meet voter ID requirements, and multiple mail-in ballots lacked the necessary signatures or were not returned on time.
Implications and Future Actions
No date has been set for the new election. However, in a partial victory for Pierce, Jones was ordered to pay her attorney fees. This case is one among several election challenges in Harris County filed by Republicans. For instance, GOP candidate Erin Lunceford challenged her defeat against Democrat Tamika Craft. Judge Peeples, overseeing this case as well, acknowledged that “illegal conduct” by the Harris County Elections Administration Office likely disenfranchised “250 to 850 lawful voters,” with over 2000 illegal votes identified in that election.
Source: Redo Of 2022 Texas Race Ordered After 1,400 Illegal Votes Cast