Harris County elections administrator resigns after mishandling of Texas Primary Election
HOUSTON - Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria has submitted her resignation following the mishandling of the Texas Primary Election on March 1 and subsequent fallout.
Longoria made the announcement while reading a statement during Commissioners Court Tuesday afternoon.
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"Today I am submitting my resignation effective July 1. I think this date ensures that there's a presiding officer during the major elections and allows the election commission the time they need to find a replacement," Longoria said. "I remain committed to the office and its mission and hope to aid in defeating harmful radical rhetoric to ensure successful elections in the future."
Longoria first came under fire after Harris County, the largest county in Texas, was the only jurisdiction in the state to miss the mandatory 24-hour state deadline to have all ballots counted.
Then over the weekend, election officials announced that about 10,000 mail-in ballots from 6,000 Democratic voters and 4,000 Republican voters were discovered missing from the original Election Night count Wednesday evening.
2022 Texas Primary Election: 10,000 mail-in ballots not added into Harris Co. original election night count
"Ultimately, the buck stops with me to address these issues and conduct elections on behalf of the voters. I didn't meet my own standard nor the standard set by Commissioners Court in doing so," Longoria continued. "But through this transition, we now have a real opportunity to have the hard, but necessary, conversations in order to solve the problems for the future elections and further bolstered the Elections Administration."
Longoria's July 1 resignation date would mean she would be still be in power for the Texas Primary Runoff Elections in May.
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Earlier Tuesday, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told Commissioners Court that she had spoken with Longoria and expressed her desire for a change in leadership.
This comes a day after leaders of Harris County's Republican Party announced the filing of litigation and called for Longoria’s removal. In its "breach of contract" suit, the HCRP is seeking court oversight of the next three elections to restore what it calls badly shaken confidence in Democratic process.
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"It was obvious Ms. Longoria is in over her head and so is the person who hired and championed her," said James Honey, a longtime poll worker.
"You have got to make sure you put competency before party. You all do not do that. You never do that," said Tomaro Bell, a well-known Super neighborhood Leader.
"When this last election occurred and I saw what happened, it made me sick to my stomach," said Dorothy Hablinski, a veteran precinct volunteer.
And prior to Longoria's announcement, Pct. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey was ready to call on the Election Commission to terminate Longoria's employment on Tuesday, FOX 26 learned.
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"This is divisive talk that I am real sick and tired of listening to. It is not the Republican Party and Democratic Party out there creating problems. It is basic lack of understanding on how to run an election," said Ramsey.