Texas Gov. Greg Abbott cited what he viewed as a prime example of voter fraud in a Houston-area judicial race after a new election was ordered nearly two years after the fact. A Houston judge found that more than 1,400 votes in the 2022 180th District Court race were invalid and invalidated the results because only 450 votes separated the Democratic and Republican candidates. “Voter fraud is real. Especially in Houston,” Abbott wrote on X, The Hill reports. “The Judge hearing the case ordered a redo of the election. We must end voter fraud.” There will be a new election for the seat. Judge David Peeples said an investigation found that 983 votes cast in the 2022 race were determined to be invalid because voters lived outside Harris County or had other residency-related issues. Some 445 voters did not show a valid form of photo identification and 48 mail ballots lacked required signatures or were not received before the deadline.
Judge DaSean Jones, the Democratic candidate, defeated Republican Tami Pierce and has held the judicial seat since. Jones was first elected in 2018 and is now running for a seat on the Texas Supreme Court. Peeples’ decision was part of a set of 2022 election challenge resolutions. None of the other 20 cases resulted in any change in electoral outcome. The judge said in the 180th District race that a new vote was needed because it was unclear for whom the invalid votes were cast.