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The recount results of Humble ISD’s Position 3 trustee race show incumbent Chris Parker defeated Natalie Carter in the May 3 election, district officials confirmed in a May 30 email.
However, Carter said she is considering contesting the results of the election due to concerns with Harris County's elections processes.
The details
HISD trustees are set to canvass the results of the Position 3 race during the board’s June 3 meeting.
HISD Chief Communications Officer Jamie Mount said the final results of the recount resulted in one additional vote for Carter, bringing the final tally to 5,262 votes for Parker and 5,223 votes for Carter.
While the recount did not change the results of the election, Carter said she is considering contesting the results after members of the recount committee found early voting ballots that were neither initialed by the Harris County’s early voting clerk nor stamped with the initials of the early voting clerk, as required by Texas Election Code.
“With the margin [of victory] so narrow and with the goal of maintaining a sound election system that maintains integrity, we have to properly scrutinize and make sure that we adhere to the letter of the law,” Carter said.
A closer look
The following provisions are included in Texas Election Code Sec. 85.0311:
In a May 30 letter addressed to Parker and Carter, HISD trustee Robert Sitton—who served as the recount coordinator charged with overseeing the recount process—said Carter raised concern over the validity of some early voting ballots while the recount was being conducted.
“During the first day of counting, Ms. Carter raised an objection to the validity of certain early voting ballots on the grounds that the back of these ballots was not initialed by, nor stamped with the initials of, the early voting clerk,” Sitton wrote in the letter. “Ms. Carter raised the same objection on day two.”
Sitton confirmed to Community Impact that he saw early voting ballots that weren’t initialed by the early voting clerk nor stamped with the initials of the early voting clerk during the recount effort.
However, Sitton said he could not provide an estimate regarding the number of early voting ballots affected.
“My duty to the candidates was to oversee the recount, not to determine the validity [of ballots],” Sitton said. “I addressed the concern with Harris County Clerk [Teneshia Hudspeth], and she addressed the issue with the candidates directly.”
What they’re saying
During the recount proceedings, Carter said she reviewed the portion of the election code in question with both Harris County officials and Sitton.
“We read the election code, and it says ‘shall,’ so it’s a mandate,” Carter said. “It's incredibly important for me to have a process that we can all believe in. This is not nefarious, ... but the fact of the matter is this: every vote counts, and we want to ensure the integrity of our election.”
Rosio Torres-Segura, administrator of communications at the Harris County Clerk's Office, confirmed her office was aware of the potential issue with the ballots.
“The Humble ISD recount coordinator informed the [Harris County] Clerk's Office that some early voting ballots might not have the initials of the early voting clerk,” Torres-Segura said in an June 2 emailed statement. “We are not aware of how many such ballots were identified by the Humble ISD recount coordinator.”
Torres-Segura maintained only qualified voters are checked in to cast votes for elections.
“An election worker gives [qualified voters] a generated access code along with an official ballot paper,” Torres-Segura said. “Ballots properly deposited in the ballot box are included in the final tally.”
However, Carter said she believes the absence of the early voting clerk’s initials could compromise the integrity of the affected ballots.
"The ballots in question didn't meet the standards laid out in the Texas Election Code," Carter said. "This rule, like many others safeguarding election integrity, is there to stop issues like ballot tampering and stuffing. It's a core principle that helps ensure our elections remain fair and trustworthy."
Also of note
Mount noted the district will not be required to pay for any fees associated with the recount process.
“Under the Texas Election Code, the person requesting the recount is responsible for the actual cost of the recount if the election outcome is unchanged,” Mount said, noting the final cost for the recount is not yet available.
Should she file to contest the results of the election, Carter said she would be responsible for any costs associated with the proceedings.
What’s next
Carter said she is still evaluating whether she will file to contest the results of the election.
“We have approximately 30-45 days after the canvassing of the recount to formally decide our next steps,” Carter said.
According to Texas Election Code Sec. 232.041, any contested elections that are declared to be void will result in a new election.