'I didn't meet my own standards': Harris County elections head Longoria resigns

Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria has tendered her resignation a week after her office became embroiled in a ballot count debacle.

Longoria came under scrutiny when the Texas Secretary of State John B. Scott announced on the night of the state's 2022 primaries that Harris County was delayed in tallying its votes.

The county completed its count hours after the state's 24-hour deadline expired, but it was revealed a few days later that 10,000 ballots were left out of the final figure.

The Harris County Commissioners Court summoned Longoria, who was appointed to the post before the 2020 presidential election, to its March 8 meeting to answer questions about the dilemma her office encountered, Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported.

"I didn't meet my own standards, nor the standards set by commissioners court," Longoria said, according to the station.

Longoria's resignation is effective July 1.

Before the meeting, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo called for the matter to be thoroughly examined.

The county judge, a Democrat, expressed to Longoria a desire for "a change in leadership," according to Houston CBS affiliate KHOU.

Hidalgo said three things need to happen moving forward: The protection of continuity with two May runoffs and the November general election, work with an elections commission to find new leadership and troubleshoot issues from March 1 primary and look for solutions, KHOU reported.

Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel had demanded for Longoria to resign or be terminated, arguing the latter lacked experience and credentials for the position.

In response to the resignation, Siegel called it "a good first step," but said more action needs to be taken before the next race.

"Longoria cannot remain in place for the May 7 local elections or the May 24 primary runoff without independent oversight from either the court or the secretary of state," Siegel said in a statement issued to the media. "Because she has resigned in place, independent oversight is needed immediately, independent of Harris County and the Harris County elections office."