May, Shall, Must: Electronic Voting Systems in Texas

  UCRW president Emma Trimble welcomed those in attendance, including Uvalde County Commissioner, Mariano Pargas and his wife Frances. Commissioner Pargas was invited to the meeting by Uvalde County Republican Party Chair, Rhonda Vigil, and chose to attend to hear the presentation by Jarrett Woodward regarding the Electronic Voting System concerns of voters across Texas.

  The focus of Woodward’s presentation was centered on Texas Administrative Code 81.61 – Condition for Approval of Electronic Voting Systems, which clearly outlines the requirements for and responsibilities of Electronic Voting Systems used in elections in Texas. Woodward stated that the issue at heart is wrongfully certified and adopted Electronic Voting Systems being used in elections across Texas place into question the validity of election results as far back as 2015, and likely further. Attempts to address the concerns of voters across Texas with the Secretary of State, have fallen on deaf ears. Moving several groups to file lawsuits against approximately 30 counties so far, to force local county commissioners to address their concerns.

  UCRW President Trimble has reached out to Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell to begin the conversation regarding the concerns surrounding the Electronic Voting Systems.  Woodward has also spoken to Judge Mitchell and Commissioner John Yeackle. Every effort will be made in Uvalde County by Uvalde County Republicans to work with Uvalde County Commissioners to address these concerns and to request that Uvalde County utilize paper ballots only, until such a time as the Electronic Voting System is properly certified, as required by State statute.

   State statute gives final authority for the adoption of the Electronic Voting System used during elections (except Primary Elections) to County Commissioners; making them the last line of defense for maintaining voter integrity within the system. It also places County Commissioners in the position of accountability to the citizens of Texas for the Electronic Voting System used during elections, and at this time those systems are wrongfully certified and therefore should not continue to be used.

   The concerns raised by Woodward are not a partisan issue. The issue affects every single voter in Texas, regardless of party affiliation.  It is incumbent on all party leadership across Texas to do what they were elected to do, assure that fair and secure elections are the norm in Texas. Further it is time to demand that the State of Texas begin the process to correct the problems that exist in the Electronic Voting System, following the laws already on the books and enforcing them where necessary.