Berry: New Harris County initiative 'can help our election administrator run a smooth election'

The Harris County Commissioners Court approved a measure on Tuesday that calls for extra pay for county employees who lend a hand with elections, Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported. 

KPRC reported that Tom Ramsey, the court’s lone Republican commissioner, voted in opposition of the item.

The station reported that Harris County Administrator David Berry said he hopes the initiative produces what he called “a stable core of workers.” 

“People who get trained in processing votes, people who get trained in helping the machines and they can help our Election Administrator [Clifford Tatum] run a smooth election,” Berry said. 

He added that he requested Tatum, who assumed the position last summer following inaugural officeholder Isabel Longoria’s departure, to provide a criteria for the types of people would need to work at the polls.

Houston National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate Houston Public Media (HPM) reported that 150 county employees assisted with the November 2022 election, citing Harris County Elections Administrator's Office spokeswoman Nadia Hakim. 

Harris County’s management of the fall race and the Texas party primaries more than six months prior has been the subject of heavy scrutiny, especially from county Republicans. 

The county is alleged to have let a host of problems that included computer mishaps and personnel shortages go unchecked during the Nov. 8 election while it was accused of slowly counting ballots in the March 2 contest.

Houston Daily reported that numerous complaints from voters prompted Gallery Furniture owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale to sue the county. 

The 72-year-old McIngvale’s lawsuit requests access to public election records in hopes of finding out what plagued the recent election, with the famed businessman insisting there’s nothing partisan about the litigation. 

McIngvale endorsed Alexandra del Moral Mealer in her unsuccessful bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. 

Mealer initially conceded to the Democratic incumbent, but has since issued a challenge of the results from the close contest.