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'Election Integrity' takeover proposal draws sharp testimony from clerks, judges and advocates and fails in committee

STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE · March 30, 2021
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Summary

A proposed statute that would allow the State Board of Election Commissioners to assume temporary control of county election administration in documented emergency circumstances failed after lengthy testimony from local officials warning the measure risks overreach and could impose costs on counties.

Senator Mark Johnson presented a comprehensive bill to create a multi-step remedial process for counties with severe election-administration failures. The proposal would require the county board of election commissioners to document problems, seek remediation from the county judge and quorum court, and—if issues remained—ask the State Board of Election Commissioners to investigate and, where necessary within the statutory election window, appoint a state coordinator to temporarily assume administrative control.

Sponsors described the bill as a limited "fire-extinguisher" remedy for rare, extreme situations…

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