ELECTIONS Tarrant County integrity task force formed ahead of election
A new task force will monitor election integrity in Tarrant County and the rst chance will be the May 6 election. Newly elected County Judge Tim O’Hare said the task force will not disparage Tarrant County’s Election Department, but will improve secu- rity and e ciency. The Tarrant County Election Integrity Task Force was announced by longtime Sheri Bill E. Waybourn, O’Hare and District Attorney Phil Sor- rells in a February press conference. “We want to assure the good citizens of Tarrant County that we intend to pursue any complaints regarding election issues where there is evidence or probable cause that a crime has been committed,” Way- bourn said. Support toward the task force was divided in the Tarrant County BY HANNAH JOHNSON & KARLY LAMM
Commissioners Court. O’Hare and Commissioner Manny Ramirez supported the task force, while Commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roy Charles Brooks did not. Commissioner Gary Fickes did not comment his thoughts. Previously, complaints were directed to the attorney general’s o ce. As of September, Attorney General Ken Paxton must get permis- sion from local county prosecutors to pursue cases of alleged election fraud. Paxton has since led a motion to appeal this decision. Simmons requested the number of documented cases of voter fraud that warrant the creation of the task force. Waybourn did not have precise data on hand, but said 11 cases are under investigation. O’Hare added there are four cases being prosecuted from the 2016 election and cited multiple instances of election complaints.
From left, Sheri Bill E. Waybourn, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and District Attorney Phil Sorrells announce the election integrity task force at a February press conference. (Hannah Johnson/Community Impact) VOTER RIGHTS Residents have the right to vote however they choose. It is a crime for someone to pressure or in uence a person while voting.
If a person has a disability or is age 65 or older, residents have the right to vote by mail- in or absentee ballot, or in person at the polling location. Residents have the right to vote a ballot by themselves, in private. Choose someone trusted to help if the ballot cannot be lled out.
It is a crime to take a mail ballot from residents, unless they are physically incapable of mailing their own ballot. home or outside of a polling place to oer assistance or take the ballot. An elections o cial will never approach voters at
SOURCE: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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