FORT WORTH — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday asked the attorney general’s office and Texas Rangers to investigate Election Day problems in Harris County.
Four poll locations opened late, machines malfunctioned, and some sites ran out of ballots on Nov. 8. On Wednesday morning, workers were still counting emergency ballots, according to Houston Public Media.
“The allegations of election improprieties in our state’s largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct. Voters in Harris County deserve to know what happened. Integrity in the election process is essential,” Abbott said in a release. “To achieve that standard, a thorough investigation is warranted.”
The Harris County Republican Party said 19 of the 20 places that ran out of ballot paper were in locations with predominately Republican voters.
“I’m tired of this crap going on in our county,” says Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel told Fox 26 in Houston. “Voter suppression is when you can’t go into a poll or it’s not open, when you don’t have equipment that works, and when you don’t have the paper to record your ballot.”