There’s trouble in Harris County. Again.
The Houston-area mega-county’s District Attorney Kim Ogg is the subject of yet another eyebrow-raising incident that illustrates that the constant refrain from the mainstream media that U.S. elections are completely secure is little more than lip service.
“Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg went into Love Park Community Center Tuesday morning to cast a ballot for her own primary race — only to be told someone had already voted in her name, according to spokesperson Michael Kolenc,” the Houston Chronicle reported.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg went into Love Park Community Center Tuesday morning to cast a ballot for her own primary race — only to be told someone had already voted in her name, according to spokesperson Michael Kolenc.https://t.co/5do5dIDPyj pic.twitter.com/yQXvWgJQsO
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 5, 2024
The Houston Chronicle provided an “explanation” for the incident.
Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth published a statement on X, previously known as Twitter, stating that voters are asked to check and confirm the information on the iPad screen when they are eligible.
“In this instance, the DA’s partner must not have noticed that the information was not hers, and proceeded to sign in and vote under DA Ogg’s name,” Hudspeth said in a statement. “Clerical errors can occur at the polls. It is the voter’s responsibility to verify that their information in the iPad screen is correct.”
The Houston Chronicle further noted that, “Hudspeth said Ogg’s partner signed her own name as confirmation. The clerk’s office was able to rectify the error and said Ogg has been able to vote since 8:24 a.m. The poll book was corrected so Ogg could cast her ballot.”
District Attorney Kim Ogg is facing a competitive primary against Sean Teare.
After the 2022 midterm elections, Harris County’s election officials once again faced criticism and requests for heightened monitoring over Election Day concerns.
The state’s Republican leadership blasted the county’s struggles to organize a fair and respectable election in a county the size of other states.
“The allegations of election improprieties in our state’s largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct,” Abbott said in a statement Monday. “Voters in Harris County deserve to know what happened. Integrity in the election process is essential. To achieve that standard, a thorough investigation is warranted.”
The governor also called for the involvement of the secretary of state, attorney general and the Texas Rangers in investigating “allegations of improprieties in the way that the 2022 elections were conducted in Harris County.”
The failures spurred the Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg to begin an alleged inquiry into charges of “irregularities with the latest Harris County election that potentially may include criminal conduct.”
Kim Ogg, a Democrat, even requested that the Texas Rangers aid in the probe in an email sent on Monday.
The Harris County GOP party even filed a 22-page lawsuit against the county and its Election Administrator, Clifford Tatum.
Harris County GOP Lawsuit Against Election Administrator Over 2022 Midterms by Kyle Becker on Scribd
“This election was so botched that there’s no way to be confident in the outcomes in the close races,” said Election Lawyer Andy Taylor. “You literally cannot ascertain the winner vs. the loser.”
