With under a week to go until Election Day, election integrity is still an issue here in Houston.
A report from the Texas Tribune on Thursday had said Harris County prison inmates being allowed to vote with just a wristband, State Senator Paul Bettencourt called it out..
"This is just typical Harris County" Bettencourt said in an exclusive interview with KTRH, "They don't follow the Election Code, so now they've come up with an idea that inmates can vote at the jail by using a wristband with a birth date on it, and it's just preposterous."
The Tribune has since updated the report and taken references to wristbands out.
Prison inmates are allowed to vote, that's not the issue. What the problem is, is that a wristband with a birth date is not one of the 7 forms of required under the Texas Election Code. It's illegal.
"It's clearly in law that you have 7 forms of identification which start with a Texas photo ID, a passport, etc." Bettencourt said, "And this idea that you can have a wristband with a birth date scrolled on it, is just not in Texas statute anywhere."
As for where does the case go from here? Bettencourt says it's now up to the Texas Secretary of State to make the next move.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office has issued a statement to KTRH.
"No Harris County Jail inmates have participated in in-person voting at the jail during this general election. All inmate voter eligibility decisions are made by proper election officials, not the Sheriff’s Office.
When Assistant Chief Bosquez discussed our agency’s role in hosting an Election Day voting location with the Texas Tribune, he mentioned that inmates wear wristbands that include their photo and other identifying information. It was not Chief Bosquez’s intent to give the incorrect impression that these wrist bands are the sole basis by which an inmate’s eligibility to vote is determined. The fact is, we rely on election officials to thoroughly vet people in jail to identify those who meet the legal requirements to vote. Election officials have historically provided our staff with a list of eligible legal voters, which they compile using their independent vetting processes to ensure compliance with applicable laws. The Sheriff’s Office’s role in voting at the jail is simply to serve as a host and facilitate the safe movement of inmates that election officials have identified as eligible legal voters"
Photo: Los Angeles Times