AUSTIN, Texas — Lawsuit Filed Over Poll Worker Imbalance
The Travis County Republican Party (TCRP) has taken legal action against Travis County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado. They claim that the distribution of poll workers across local voting sites is unfairly tilted away from Republican representation. The lawsuit was announced in a press release on Tuesday.
Claims of Unfair Representation
According to the TCRP, they submitted the names of more than 900 willing and qualified Republican volunteers to the county clerk back in June. However, they believe that only 72 Republicans were chosen to serve as poll workers. This means that only about 24% of the total 306 clerks are from the Republican Party, with an additional 32 Republicans who were not selected from their volunteers list.
Concerns Raised by TCRP
TCRP chair Matt Mackowiak expressed significant concern about the low number of Republican poll workers. In the release, he remarked that it is “totally unacceptable” to have large portions of the county without any Republican election judges. He highlighted that 24% of early voting sites lack a Republican judge or alternate. Moreover, he noted that 50% of these sites do not have Republican representation during either morning or evening shifts. On Election Day itself, the TCRP estimates that 41% of voting locations will be without any Republican poll workers.
Response from the County Clerk’s Office
The office of Clerk Limon-Mercado has acknowledged the lawsuit and is currently collaborating with the Travis County Attorney to prepare a response. A spokesperson for the clerk’s office stated, “Our office remains committed to administering an election that is accessible to all eligible voters.” They emphasized the importance of their staff’s hard work and the temporary election workers who help facilitate the election process.
Legal Basis of the Lawsuit
The Texas Elections Code requires that each polling location has a presiding judge and alternate judge from different political parties. It is also necessary to select poll workers from various parties whenever possible. Mackowiak claimed that the TCRP found out about the lack of Republican representation on October 16, which was just days before early voting commenced.
Accountability and the Future
Mackowiak continued to stress the importance of holding the local government accountable if they violate the rights of those involved in the election process. He called the situation an “egregious example” and expressed his group’s eagerness for their day in court. The lawsuit demands that the judge replace the Democratic and unaffiliated election officials with volunteers from the TCRP list to ensure bipartisan representation at all polling locations on Election Day.
Conclusion
The TCRP is seeking a swift ruling from the court, asking that it be issued “without oral argument” or any opportunity for a rehearing, citing the approaching Election Day. As the legal battle unfolds, many will be watching closely to see how this situation develops and what it means for the upcoming elections.
