ELECTION PROBE CONTINUES; NEW PROBE OF ROMA ISD MAIL-INS

The District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers are continuing to probe allegations of irregularities involving mail-in ballots in the March 2, 2010 county primary elections, and have begun a new investigation concerning complaints about mail-in ballots in the upcoming May 2010 Roma ISD trustee elections.

District Attorney Heriberto Silva indicated on Monday afternoon, April 19, “The investigation of the March 2010 election is ongoing. The 229th District Court grand jury requested an extension of its term and it was granted.”

Silva declared, “New allegations have been made concerning the Roma ISD election. That is a separate investigation. The allegations involving the Roma election also involve mail-in ballots. The Rangers are involved in that investigation also.”

The prosecutor stated, “The complaints about the Roma election first arose in the middle to latter part of last week.”

Silva added, “For the March election, we impounded 112 ballots, but investigated 56 ballots. We don’t know yet how many ballots are being investigated in the Roma (ISD) matter.”

The D.A. pointed out, “The (Texas) Attorney General’s Office has been here to help in the investigation of the March election.”

Silva indicated that one person has been charged with a misdemeanor in connection with the probe of the March election mail-in ballots. Silva indicated that this person “was charged with picking up ballots without properly signing them.” This individual’s case has been referred to the County Attorney’s Office.

On Monday, April 12, a visiting state district judge rejected the petition of District Clerk challenger Dave “Chachi” Jones asking that a new election be called. After a recount was conducted earlier, incumbent District Clerk Eloy Garcia’s margin of victory remained at 88 votes.

In early March, Silva stated, “The allegation is that the mail-in ballots, a total of 112, were delivered without the ballots being signed on the outside. If it’s not your ballot and you deliver it, you have to sign the outside of the ballot.”