Texas Officials Accused of Manipulation

[Judi Lynn]

Texas Officials Accused of Manipulation

By JOE STINEBAKER
The Associated Press
Friday, February 16, 2007; 1:44 PM

HOUSTON -- In two Houston-area elections last year, school officials are accused of blatantly trying to manipulate polling locations to get the outcome they wanted.

In one case, sponsors of a $250 million bond measure that would benefit the North Harris-Montgomery Community College tried to cut the number of polling places from 80 to 12 and put all of them on the school's campuses.

That would have made it more convenient for students and employees _ natural supporters of the bond issue _ and less convenient for off-campus opponents. The U.S. Justice Department thwarted the plan.

In the other case, officials with the suburban Pearland school system scheduled their bond election on the same day as the state's general election in November. But then they spent an extra $64,000 to establish separate voting just for the bond measure, with all polling places located in the schools. That meant voters had to make two stops that day.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021600993.html

[BluePatriot]

1. Hm.

*Texan

I can't entirely blame them, it's insanely hard to get a bond passed around here even if it's blatantly necessary. (Waaah we are Repugs and hate taxes! Our schools are crumbling, our services suck, but...taxes are bad!) Still, those tactics are a no-no, and glad Justice Dept. at least noticed what the college was doing.

[LiberalFighter]

3. I was wondering why should the college decide when to hold the election?

Those elections should be held the same day as their regular elections ie primary and general elections. AND the Election Boards should be the ones making the decisions NOT the schools, firefighters or any other group of individuals.

/Excerpt/
Many states, including Texas, require that local governments holding elections on the same day as a November general election use the same polling locations. But Houston and the seven counties surrounding it are exempt.

Manipulation goes on all over the country, some election-watchers say. For example, they said, some Minnesota schools hold bond elections in frigid January, and fire departments pushing bond measures in New Jersey place their voting booths in remote fire stations.
//

These practices need to be stopped.

[Doondoo]

2. bump

[Kber]

4. Our school board and budget elections are usually held at the highschool.

Even so, it's not easy to get the full budget approved. Last year we all got robo-called with a reminder to vote. No direction on how to vote, mind you, but all parents did get the call.

And the budget passed, too. Overwhelmingly.

Which, in my mind, was a very good thing. Normally elections take place at the local senior center. When school budget votes were held there, the budget was almost always cut back dramatically.

To be fair, perhaps we should try to find "neutral" ground.