The Dallas County Republican Party is raising concerns about dozens if not hundreds of current mail-in ballots, alleging that the Dallas County Elections Department is not letting a bi-partisan team of election watchers fully do their jobs.
Thursday afternoon, the Dallas County Republican Party threatened to seek a temporary restraining order to stop the Dallas County Elections Office from keeping members of the Signature Verification Committee from recording written notes about any discrepancies they might find.
The Republicans allege that both a Republican poll watcher and members of the Signature Verification Committee were told they weren't allowed to take their own notes regarding mail-in ballots and any signature verification issues they believe need further inspection. The committee, comprised of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, watch to see that signatures on ballot applications match the signature on the ballot envelopes.
The Dallas County Republican Party, in a letter to the chairman of the Signature Verification Committee, claimed the denial of note-taking is a violation of election code and wrote that they're "requesting that you cease and desist these violations ... or we will be forced to utilize whatever legal remedies are available to us."
"We're afraid that one of the fundamental stops on fraud is being disregarded," said Missy Shorey, Dallas County Republican Party chair. "That we're literally running into bureaucratic barricades that are designed to prevent us from exercising our right to a free and fair election. That's all we ask. And we're not asking anymore. Unfortunately we're having to demand in court."
But Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippins-Poole, in reference to mail-in ballots, told WFAA in writing that "eligible Poll watchers are being allowed in the Committee meetings with acceptable certificate of appointment and are allowed to take notes. The issue was with certain committee members, that should represent the entire county and all candidates on the ballot, should not take notes regarding voters' ballot nor give their notes to their Party Poll Watcher." And that the Chairman of the Committee, the Republican Party Chair and their attorney were "advised yesterday morning during a phone call, taking notes by committee members was out of the scope of work."
Pippins also provided this statement and clarification her office sought from the Secretary of State. Krystine N. Ramon, Staff Attorney of the Elections Division wrote:
"Per our discussion, you asked if the signature verification committee takes notes of who either assisted or witnessed the carrier envelope would this violate any information that is not public. Our office believes that by the signature verification committee taking notes of who either assisted with the carrier or witnessed the carrier is outside the scope of the signature verification committee's duties described under Section 87.027 of the Texas Election Code. We further believe that by the signature verification committee taking notes of who either assisted with the carrier or witnessed the carrier could violate Section 86.014 of the Texas Election Code. Originals of the applications and carrier envelopes are not available for public inspection until those materials are delivered to the general custodian of election records after the election. (Tex. Elec. Code § 86.014) By the committee members taking notes of what is on the carrier, we believe this could violate information that should not be made public."
"To the extent that the notes apply to or that they're challenging ballots that have not been counted yet, if they're just looking at the signatures on the application and comparing them to the voter registration cards, then the Elections Administrator has standing to say no that is not part of the process," independent elections consultant Ed Valentine told WFAA.
Election results from mail-in and early voting in Dallas County and all of Texas continue to come in at a record pace for a mid-term election.