Abbott on alleged election improprieties in Harris County: 'A thorough investigation is warranted'

Gov. Greg Abbott requested an investigation on Monday into what he alleges are widespread problems in Harris County during the general election earlier this month, per a press release issued by the Office of the Texas Governor. 

According to the governor, the release said, voters in the state’s largest county expressed frustration over ballot issues in Republican precincts, longer lines and staffing problems.

Abbott, a Republican, himself was on the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 8, earning a third term in Texas’ highest office by besting Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. 

"I'm calling on the Secretary of State, the Attorney General's Office and the Texas Rangers to initiate investigations into allegations of improprieties in the way that the 2022 elections were conducted in Harris County," the governor said in the release. "The allegations of election improprieties in our state's largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct.” 

He added that “a thorough investigation is warranted” as “integrity in the election process” is necessary.

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the Harris County Republican Party has sued the county and its elections administrator, Clifford Tatum. 

Party officials are questioning whether the issues that plagued several polling locations are intentional, hoping those candidates who lost by a narrow margin would be afforded a new vote, per KHOU. 

According to the station, the Harris County Democrats issued a statement decrying Abbott’s call for an investigation as “political theater.”

It’s the second time this year in which Harris County has been scrutinized for how it ran an election. 

The county’s elections office came under fire for its purported handling of ballots in last March’s Texas party primaries. 

Inaugural elections head Isabel Longoria resigned in the wake of the fallout, paving the way for the county to name Tatum to the post. 

As the subject of a forensic election audit before this year’s midterms, Houston Daily reported, Harris County had assured the state it wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes that occurred during the presidential election two years ago.