An investigation conducted by the Harris County District Attorney's office in Texas has revealed no evidence of intent to influence the 2022 election outcomes in the state's largest county. The review, led by District Attorney Kim Ogg, found that elections employees did not intentionally try to sway the results of the midterm elections held in Houston.
However, the investigation did uncover failures by one elections employee, Darryl Blackburn, who was responsible for ensuring polling locations had an adequate supply of paper ballots. Blackburn now faces criminal charges related to improperly claiming hours on his timesheets and working a second job during election day, when some polling locations ran out of paper ballots.
The most serious charge filed against Blackburn is theft by a public servant, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Blackburn's attorney maintains his client's innocence and criticizes the charges as politically motivated.
Despite the lack of evidence of election influence, District Attorney Ogg emphasized that Blackburn's actions undermined voter confidence. The audit conducted by the Texas secretary of state's office also confirmed that the election outcomes were not affected by the issues in Houston.
Following the 2022 elections, Republican lawmakers dismantled Harris County's elections office and transferred the responsibilities back to the county tax assessor and county clerk, both of whom are currently Democrats. Harris County has been a focal point in the ongoing debates over voting rights and access in Texas.
While efforts by losing Republican candidates to overturn election results were denied by a Texas judge, a new election was ordered in one of the closest races. The case is currently pending on appeal.
