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Highlights of recent events related to mail-in ballot fraud in South Texas. Posted by Lee Ann O'Neal, leeann@texaswatchdog.org. See www.texaswatchdog.org. SOURCES: Lone Star Project; Texas State Attorney General's Office; Texas Legislature Online; staff research by Steve Miller.

Created by leeannoneal on Jul 8, 2009

Last updated: 05/07/10 at 12:45 PM

Tags: "texas watchdog" "mail-in voting" "mail-in ballots" "lone star project" "texas state attorney general's office" "steve miller" "voter fraud"

• Judge orders a number of mail-in ballots impounded from the March 2 Democratic primary for county...
  Apr 2010

• Charges filed against three women in Jim Wells County
  Feb 2010 to 2010

  Three women are charged with unlawful possession of mail-in ballots in Jim Wells County.

• State lawmakers do not pass a voter ID plan
  2009 to 2009

  State legislators go home without passing a voter ID bill for the third consecutive session. No changes made to the mail-in ballot process either.

• Legislative report cites fraud in mail-in ballots
  2009 to 2009

  A report from the Texas Legislature’s House Committee on Elections asserts there is mail-in ballot voter fraud in the state “and those issues do need to be addressed” by the 81st session at the statehouse.
  http://www.scribd.com/doc/29815332/Elections-80th

• Democrats and AG Greg Abbott settle lawsuit.
  2008 to 2008

  Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Democrats settle the suit. Both claim victory.

• Texas AG Greg Abbott announces plan to stamp out voter fraud
  2006 to 2006

  Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announces an initiative to police voter fraud, calling fraud an epidemic. He devotes part of the white-collar crime Special Investigations Unit in his office to work with law enforcement around the state to chase down and prosecute violators.

• Democrats sue state and AG Greg Abbott
  2006 to 2006

  The Texas Democratic Party files suit against the state and Greg Abbott in his official capacity as attorney general. The suit charges that laws making it a crime to possess a ballot violate the Voting Rights Act by disenfranchising elderly and other voters.

• Plan to tighten mail-in ballot process dies in committee
  2005 to 2005

  House Bill 1994 introduced to make it a class B misdemeanor to assist more than one mail-in voter in an election. The bill dies in committee. (It is a class B misdemeanor to witness on more than one mail-in ballot, which under Texas law is a more involved process than just assisting a voter; witnesses may fill out a ballot at the voter's direction, but must sign their names to a form acknowledging their role.)

• Tighter rules for mail-in ballots
  2003 to 2003

  House Bill 54 passed, putting new parameters on mail-in ballots. Among other things, it requires a signature and address of anyone assisting the voter with preparation of the ballot.