The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, is considering holding a fresh election in Harris County following the discovery of ballot irregularities. An inquiry revealed that the lack of ballots was more prevalent than previously believed.

“An analysis of equipment and voter turnout records conducted by local news outlet KHOU 11 found that 121 voting centers lacked sufficient ballot paper needed to cover voter turnout—more than double the number of centers that Harris County estimated to be affected. The county had previously said 46 to 68 centers ran out of their allotted ballot paper,” Newsweek reported.

“In a statement sent to Newsweek, the Texas secretary of state’s office said that it was first notified of the alleged improprieties in Harris County shortly after Election Day in 2022 and that the information was referred to the Texas attorney general’s office and the Harris County district attorney’s office for investigation,” the outlet added.

The secretary of state’s office said that “we have been collecting even more information to ultimately provide the public with greater clarity on the root causes of the issues witnessed in Harris County during the 2022 General Election.”

“Harris Co. election ballot paper shortage far bigger than initially estimated. It’s so big it may have altered the outcome of elections. It may necessitate new elections. It WILL necessitate new LAWS that prevent Harris Co. from ever doing this again,” the governor said on Twitter.

Harris Co. election ballot paper shortage far bigger than initially estimated.

It's so big it may have altered the outcome of elections.

It may necessitate new elections.

It WILL necessitate new LAWS that prevent Harris Co. from ever doing this again.https://t.co/Bc3YE3ix5E

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 1, 2023

“Last month, a former county elections commissioner in New York pleaded guilty to applying for absentee ballots in the names of other registered voters,” Carmine Sabia reported for Conservative Brief, adding:

“Jason Schofield, age 43, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to fraudulently apply for absentee ballots for elections held in Rensselaer County in 2021. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Schofield was an Elections Commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections (“RCBOE”) until late last month when he resigned in anticipation of today’s guilty plea,” JD Supra reported.

“In pleading guilty to a 12-count indictment, Schofield admitted that in 2021, he unlawfully possessed and used the names and dates of birth of voters in connection with 12 absentee ballot applications he electronically submitted in the voters’ names to the New York State Voter Absentee Ballot Application Request Portal. Schofield admitted that for each application, he falsely certified that he was the voter requesting the ballot. He also admitted that he took personal possession of 9 of these ballots while knowing and intending that RCBOE records would falsely reflect that the ballots had been mailed to the voters,” the outlet added.

“Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. On each count, Schofield faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Schofield’s plea agreement required that he immediately resign from the RCBOE,” the outlet continued.

Schofield was charged before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart earlier this year for his participation in a plot to commit absentee ballot fraud.

He was accused with submitting fake absentee ballot applications using the names and birth dates of registered voters in Rensselaer County in 2021.

More on this story via The Republic Brief:

Schofield, a Republican, was released on his own recognizance until his trial scheduled before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. CONTINUE READING…