Texas Prosecutors Find No Evidence of Election Tampering but Charge County Employee
In an unexpected turn of events, a detailed investigation conducted by prosecutors in Texas’ largest county, Harris County, found no evidence of any intent to manipulate the 2022 election outcomes. However, they are pressing criminal charges against a county employee, who was suspiciously working a second job while critical polling stations ran out of paper ballots.
A Deep Dive Into the Houston Investigation
Midterm elections in Houston had previously drawn significant attention due to issues at polling places. This led to some Republican candidates challenging their losses in local races and the state’s Governor, Greg Abbott, passing a law that ousted the election administrator in Harris County, a region home to over 5 million residents.
District Attorney Kim Ogg, a democrat elected in the county, hosted a press conference where she stated that their investigation, carried out with the support of investigators from the Texas Rangers, found zero evidence to suggest that elections workers attempted to interfere with the results. However, Ogg noted that one elections employee, whose specific role involved ensuring that polling locations have an adequate number of paper ballots, faltered, thereby causing some voters to be unable to vote.
Irregularities Surrounding a County Employee
This employee, named Darryl Blackburn, was not charged related to any suspicion of election-related crimes. Instead, he faces charges owing to inaccuracies with claiming hours on his timesheets and applying for paid time off while allegedly working another more profitable job on the sidelines, including Election Day when certain polling sites reportedly ran out of paper ballots.
The most severe charge, theft by public servant, pressed against Blackburn holds a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison. Blackburn’s lawyer has affirmed his client’s innocence and critiqued the charges as politically motivated.
Maintaining Voter Confidence
Expressing concern over the development, D.A. Ogg stated that the worker’s actions have significantly harmed voter confidence. She emphasized the importance of examining such incidents impartially.
Previously, an audit by the state secretary’s office also confirmed that the problems in Houston did not influence race outcomes. However, the audit report did blame local administrators for lapses, including inadequate training provided to the elections staff.
These fresh findings come as Houston’s political environment has become a hotspot in recent Texas voting rights and access debates. Democrats, who have been making progress in the county, have lambasted new voting restrictions and state scrutiny over Houston’s elections as politically incentivized.
Appeal on Election Results Remains Pending
Given the lingering uncertainties surrounding the 2022 midterm elections, a Texas judge had previously dismissed efforts by unsuccessful Republican candidates to overturn the election results. However, in a tight race, the judge later demanded a new election. This case remains under appeal.
