HOUSTON – Harris County sued Texas over legislation that abolishes the county’s elections administrator position, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee announced Thursday.
“We’re filing this lawsuit to take action and to take action early,” Menefee said.
Senate Bill 1750 goes into effect on Sept. 1 — just weeks before Harris County’s municipal election. The law removes the Harris County Elections Administrator’s Office and bars the county from re-creating the office. It will transfer election duties to the county clerk and tax assessor-collector’s office.
Menefee argued that the law, which applies only to Harris County, violates the Texas Constitution: “For nearly 100 years Texas law has prohibited laws that apply to only one locale and can never again in the future apply to another locale. That’s exactly what SB 1750 does.”
“Our legislators here in the state of Texas should be focused on passing laws that make life better for all of Texas, not targeting one county because it’s leaders look differently and think differently than the folks in Austin,” Menefee said.
The Harris County elections administrator position, created by the county in 2020, is a nonpartisan position appointed by local elected officials.
Senate Bill 1750 was authored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who has sited Harris County election problems as a catalyst for the legislation
“Voters should have confidence in their elections, and when they see Harris County Elections Administrators botch election after election in 2022 that confidence is shaken,” Bettencourt said of Senate Bill 1750.
In last November’s general election, Harris County had to extend voting after numerous polling places reported paper ballot shortages and long waiting periods.