Bettencourt on SB 1750 as legislation awaits governor's signature: 'Voters in Harris County can be assured that the officials running their elections are elected and accountable'

A Republican-backed piece of legislation that seeks to eliminate the Harris County elections head’s position has garnered approval in both chambers of the Texas Legislature and is presently awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature.

Houston NPR affiliate Houston Public Media (HPM) reported that if Senate Bill (SB) 1750 becomes law, incumbent Harris County Elections Administrator Clifford Tatum has until Sept. 1 to vacate the office and relinquish his job duties and responsibilities to the elected county clerk and tax assessor-collector.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), SB 1750’s author, said in a press release that the measure’s purpose is to “restore voter trust, accountability and transparency” in elections conducted by Texas’ largest county.

“An appointed elections administrator that either couldn’t or wouldn’t get millions of sheets of ballot paper from the warehouse to the polls for voters to vote on, on Nov. 8, will be gone by Sept. 1,” Bettencourt said. “Now voters in Harris County can be assured that the officials running their elections are elected and accountable to the public, with expected final passage of SB 1750.”

The senator alluded to one of the alleged problems from last fall’s midterm elections in which numerous GOP-leaning precincts claimed they didn’t have enough ballot paper for voters.

The Harris County Commissioners Court approved the position ahead of the heavily contested 2020 general election, with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo appointing Isabel Longoria as the inaugural officeholder.

The office first ran into trouble during last year’s party primary races when the county failed to complete its vote tally within the state-mandated 24-hour window.

Longoria, who initially denied wrongdoing, acknowledged the situation and tendered her resignation, paving the way for Tatum to take over.

Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that Hidalgo, a Democrat, asserted the state’s Republican leadership is singling out Harris County because of its tendency to vote blue.

"These folks are trying to brute force their way into power, and not only are we going to call them out on it, but I am convinced in the long run, and I hope you're hearing me, it is going to be their undoing," she said, per the station.

HPM reported that Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee, who’s also a Democrat, could pursue legal action.