AUSTIN, Texas (AP) 鈥� A second Texas audit in as many years of elections in Harris County, the third-most populous county in the U.S., called for improvements but does not suggest that race outcomes in 2022 were impacted by issues that Republicans have used and take more control over voting in the Democratic stronghold.
The preliminary report by Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, a Republican, was released days before Houston residents begin early voting for a new mayor. It also follows Republicans in the county of nearly 5 million people, a size that makes Harris politically significant as Democrats try to end decades of GOP dominance in the state.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law this year and transferred the responsibility to other local officials. One is County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, who in response to the audit said her office is working to make sure 鈥減ast issues are not repeated鈥� but defended previous elections as successful.
鈥淏ut the public should know that 鈥榮uccessful鈥� isn鈥檛 the same thing as 'flawless,鈥欌�� Hudspeth said.
Democrats who lead Harris County , including limited paper ballot shortages and machine malfunctions, on Election Day last year. But they said the difficulties were not intentional and have accused critics of stoking conspiracies.
Nelson, who was appointed by Abbott, said the county 鈥渃learly had multiple failures" last year. Republicans cheered the findings as justification for the new laws that transferred election oversight.
鈥淚t is important to talk about these issues now in order to address them before the 2024 election cycle," Nelson said.
Republican candidates have challenged losses in races across the county last year but there has been no evidence that the issues affected the outcomes. The first lawsuit went to trial earlier this year but a judge has yet to rule on the case.
Another new law signed by Abbott earlier this year clears the way for Nelson's office to potentially take oversight of Harris County elections. Following the 2020 election, Texas , which came after former President Donald Trump falsely claimed the election was stolen and pressured Abbott to review ballots.
Paul J. Weber, The Associated Press
