Federal election observers in Harris Co. for Tuesday's election
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - "We've gotten to a point in our country where it's not just I disagree with your politics, I disagree with your policy. But it's instead I disagree with the fact that you won the election," said Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
The County Attorney, the County Judge, and the mayor are just some of the elected officials who asked the Department of Justice to send election inspectors to Harris County for Tuesday's midterm election.
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"I think what you saw was a bunch of elected leaders coming together saying this Secretary of State Office has shown they can't be trusted in our elections, and so it's good to have an impartial neutral party in the federal government in the room," Menefee said.
It's projected that 1.2 million votes will be cast in Harris County. Around 750,000 votes were cast early. As many as half a million more votes will be cast on Tuesday.
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No one wants a repeat of the March primary when results were delayed, and some 10,000 temporarily lost.
"Our voters should take advantage of the 782 locations, don't wait in line at any one location if it's an hour wait," said Harris County Elections Administrator Clifford Tatum.
Tatum says he welcomes scrutiny from state election inspectors.
"That's exactly right," he said. "Trust but verify, and if there is a process, we are not doing right or that we could do better, we are all open for that."
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In addition to visiting polling places, federal election inspectors will be present when votes are counted.
"Having them in the room, when the votes are counted, will be most important because it won't be he said, she said, instead you'll have a third party in the room who can attest to exactly what happened," said Menefee.