Inspectors from the Texas Secretary of State’s office are scheduled to visit Election Day polling locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley, including in Starr County where a school election has led to multiple complaints.
The Texas Election Code allows the state to send inspectors when more than 15 registered voters make a timely request.
In Starr County, a Rio Grande City Grulla ISD school board election sparked multiple complaints filed with the secretary of state’s office. They focused on the processing and acceptance of ballots and later a public information request that received a late and unusual response.
Candidates like Ediel Barrera, who is running for place 6 on the school board, are frustrated by the discrepancies voters allegedly witnessed during the early voting period.
“I’m afraid they can do something against the community’s rights,” Barrera said, after listing several incidents in which he believes voters were intimidated or discouraged from voting.
On Monday morning, Martie Garcia-Vela, who submitted the second complaint to the Texas Secretary of State’s office on Friday, received an email from the school district’s attorney, Baltazar Salazar. He said in the email that the district will preserve the canceled/spoiled ballots as a response to the first complaint.
But questions remain.
Garcia-Vela reached out to the school district superintendent, who is also serving as the early voting clerk, but did not receive a response as of Monday evening.
Sam Taylor, a communications spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office, confirmed the state will be sending an inspector.
“In Starr County, our Election Inspector will be stationed at the county’s Early Voting Ballot Board and Central Count Station,” Taylor said in a statement Monday afternoon.
Others will be spread out east.
“The (1) inspector in Hidalgo County will be at-large and may visit multiple polling locations throughout the county on Election Day. We do have inspectors scheduled to be in Cameron and Willacy Counties as well,” Taylor added.
A state inspector has the authority to be present at and observe any function or activity at a polling place, central counting station, place of canvass, or other place at which official election or voter registration functions or activities take place, according to the state election code.
An inspector may also take reasonable steps to obtain evidence of the manner in which a function or activity is being performed. However, an inspector may not observe the preparation of the ballot of a voter who is not being assisted by an election officer.
Any violation of law observed by the inspector must be reported to the secretary of state.
Salazar, the school district’s attorney, sent The Monitor a short statement on Monday.
“The RGCGISD has conducted and will continue to conduct the election with transparency and integrity in compliance with the Texas Election Code,” Salazar wrote.
Barrera said he hopes the inspectors will help ensure a fair election.
“Yes, definitely yes. They don’t want to have anybody on our side inside the rooms and checking,” Barrera said.
