Voter advocate asks Bexar County election commission to probe school district’s separate‑election practices

A member of the community asked the Bexar County Election Commission to examine whether Southwest Independent School District’s election practices create unnecessary obstacles for voters.

Pete Bernal, a member of the GI Forum of Bexar County, asked the commission to look into what he described as a pattern in which Southwest ISD requires some voters to cast two separate ballots at different locations on the same day. "Southwest Independent School District is the only Bexar County that forces their voters to cast 2 separate ballots... This is not confusion. This is not accident. This is a pattern, and it suppresses voter turnout in a high poverty district," Bernal said during the public‑comment period.

Bernal asked the commission to investigate and cited what he said was the Texas Education Code section "11058 1" in arguing that school districts are required to hold joint elections with counties or municipalities in many circumstances. He also referenced coverage of the practice in local outlets and said the school district’s board president had defended separate elections by saying broader turnout could produce "wrong people," an exchange Bernal characterized as evidence of intent to limit participation.

Commissioners and the county clerk acknowledged the concern but noted limited local authority to change a school district’s decisions on joint elections. County Clerk Luciana Clark and other members said the problem, as presented, appeared to be intertwined with state law and redistricting questions and would likely require legal review and coordination with the Secretary of State. "This is something that came from the state level, and the election administrator has to follow protocol because we as elected officials follow statutes," the clerk said.

No formal investigation or motion to refer the matter was recorded at the meeting; Bernal’s request remained unresolved at adjournment. Commissioners suggested the public follow up with the clerk’s office or provide exhibits and documentation they had referenced; some members offered to help by sending letters or coordinating with other county clerks.

The commission’s discussion later in the meeting focused on county operational fixes, voting‑site availability and a pending redistricting litigation that the district attorney warned was likely to remain fluid and could affect upcoming filing deadlines. Because the claim involves how a school district schedules and runs its own elections, the commission did not announce a direct enforcement step at the session and instead encouraged participants to provide supporting documentation for further review.