Texas Rangers find no evidence of efforts to sway 2022 election results in Harris County
One county employee was charged in the probe, however, after investigators said he failed to make sure polling locations had enough ballots.
Harris County Election Probe Finds No Evidence of Widespread Fraud, One Employee Charged
A criminal probe into irregularities surrounding the 2022 election in Harris County , Texas, has concluded with no evidence of a deliberate campaign to suppress voter turnout or influence the outcome. However, one county employee, Darryl Blackburn, has been charged with five counts of tampering with government documents and one count of theft.
The investigation, conducted by the Texas Rangers and the Harris County District Attorney's office, was prompted by numerous complaints about the election process, including paper ballot shortages and malfunctioning voting equipment. These issues led to delayed openings at some polling locations and longer wait times for voters.
District Attorney Kim Ogg stated that the paper ballot shortages were not the result of intentional efforts to sway the election. Instead, she attributed the shortages to Blackburn's failure to ensure each polling place had sufficient ballots. Ogg explained that Blackburn, a former data analyst at the now-defunct Harris County Elections Department, was juggling two full-time jobs at the time, leading to his neglect of this crucial responsibility.
Blackburn's attorney, Charles Flood, has vehemently denied the charges, calling them an "abuse of power" and accusing Ogg of playing politics . He insists that the case focuses solely on timesheet discrepancies and has nothing to do with the election itself.
Despite the lack of evidence for a broader conspiracy to influence the election, the investigation's findings have had significant repercussions. Over 20 local Republican candidates contested the election results, and Republican lawmakers in the Texas Legislature forced the county to dissolve its elections administration office.
Furthermore, the investigation has fueled a larger conversation about trust in the electoral process, with Ogg highlighting the "priceless" cost of losing public confidence in the integrity of elections .
The investigation's conclusion leaves many questions unanswered about the management of elections in Harris County . While the probe has cleared the county of deliberate voter suppression, it has exposed vulnerabilities in the electoral system, highlighting the importance of robust oversight and accountability.
A criminal probe into irregularities surrounding the 2022 election in Harris County , Texas, has concluded with no evidence of a deliberate campaign to suppress voter turnout or influence the outcome. However, one county employee, Darryl Blackburn, has been charged with five counts of tampering with government documents and one count of theft.
The investigation, conducted by the Texas Rangers and the Harris County District Attorney's office, was prompted by numerous complaints about the election process, including paper ballot shortages and malfunctioning voting equipment. These issues led to delayed openings at some polling locations and longer wait times for voters.
District Attorney Kim Ogg stated that the paper ballot shortages were not the result of intentional efforts to sway the election. Instead, she attributed the shortages to Blackburn's failure to ensure each polling place had sufficient ballots. Ogg explained that Blackburn, a former data analyst at the now-defunct Harris County Elections Department, was juggling two full-time jobs at the time, leading to his neglect of this crucial responsibility.
Blackburn's attorney, Charles Flood, has vehemently denied the charges, calling them an "abuse of power" and accusing Ogg of playing politics . He insists that the case focuses solely on timesheet discrepancies and has nothing to do with the election itself.
Despite the lack of evidence for a broader conspiracy to influence the election, the investigation's findings have had significant repercussions. Over 20 local Republican candidates contested the election results, and Republican lawmakers in the Texas Legislature forced the county to dissolve its elections administration office.
Furthermore, the investigation has fueled a larger conversation about trust in the electoral process, with Ogg highlighting the "priceless" cost of losing public confidence in the integrity of elections .
The investigation's conclusion leaves many questions unanswered about the management of elections in Harris County . While the probe has cleared the county of deliberate voter suppression, it has exposed vulnerabilities in the electoral system, highlighting the importance of robust oversight and accountability.