Latest news with #voteharvesting
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Randall County GOP chair charged with felony election fraud
The chair of the Randall County Republican Party was booked into jail Monday on a state felony election fraud charge. Kelly Kenten Giles, 64, is accused of providing false information on his application and petition to run for the Randall County Republican Party Chair seat in December 2023 for a spot on the 2024 primary ballot, according to the grand jury indictment signed late last month. It is unclear what about his application or petition was considered fraudulent. The offense is typically classified as a misdemeanor, but because Giles is accused of doing it while serving as an elected official, it becomes a felony. Giles did not respond to a request for comment, nor did anyone else with the Randall County Republican Party. The Texas Republican Party Chairman Abraham George said he learned of the allegations Tuesday. 'The Republican Party of Texas is steadfastly committed to upholding election integrity and the principles of the rule of law,' George said in an email. 'I am resolute in my duty to ensure that our commitment to securing Texas elections is upheld, which entails conducting elections with integrity by our elected party officials.' Giles' arrest comes after years of Texas Republicans cracking down on election integrity in the years that follow the 2020 election, despite no such evidence of widespread fraud. This crackdown escalated days ago when a former Democratic state House candidate was indicted alongside nine others for alleged vote harvesting in South Texas. The chairman was reelected to his seat as GOP chairman in the 2024 March primary election with 51% of the vote against two opponents, Brien Maxwell and Pat Bohlender. He was originally elected to his seat in May 2023 by the County Executive Committee, according to the Amarillo Tribune. Giles' indictment was handed down June 25 and the warrant was issued. He was booked into the Randall County jail and has since been released, according to the jail log. His case is being prosecuted by the Texas Attorney General's Office of the Election Integrity after the Randall County District Attorney recused his office. Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual , happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas' most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Democratic state House candidate among nine indicted for alleged vote harvesting in South Texas
A South Texas grand jury this week reportedly indicted nine people, including the former chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party and a former Texas House candidate, for alleged vote harvesting in a sprawling investigation led by Attorney General Ken Paxton that has targeted Latino Democrats in the state. Among the indicted were Manuel Medina, who once led Bexar County Democrats and served as a legislative aide, as well as Cecilia Castellano, who lost a bid last year to represent a district that includes Frio County in the Legislature's lower chamber, according to KSAT, which first reported the development Wednesday. The indictments add to six previous ones revealed by Paxton in May and are the latest escalation in a probe that last year resulted in search warrants that led Texas authorities to seize Castellano's phone and raid Medina's home. At the time, Latino leaders in Texas condemned the moves while Democratic state lawmakers asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the state for potential violations of federal law and civil and voting rights amid a flurry of what Republican state leaders described as efforts to secure the state's elections. On Thursday, neither Paxton's office nor 81st Judicial District Attorney Audrey Gossett Louis returned requests for comment. KSAT attributed the information in its report to Louis. Castellano turned herself into authorities on Wednesday upon learning of two charges of vote harvesting leveled against her, her lawyer Don Flanary said. He professed his client's innocence and questioned the government's allegations in using a charge whose constitutionality is unsettled in courts. In September, a federal judge ruled that certain prohibitions of voter outreach efforts in the Texas law were unconstitutionally vague and restricted free speech. But the New Orleans 5th Circuit appeals court overturned the decision when Paxton's office appealed it. 'Cecilia is innocent. She didn't do anything illegal and I don't think they are going to be able to prove it,' Flanary said by telephone, dismissing the prosecutions as 'plainly' politically motivated. 'The problem is it's very chilling for people.' He added: 'It's highly inappropriate, in my opinion, to be filing these charges now when the 5th Circuit is going to rule about whether the activity is even a crime. … These people aren't charged with voter fraud. These people aren't charged with the traditional ways that it's illegal to get votes or do voter fraud.' Medina did not immediately return a call Thursday. Neither did his lawyer. The others charged include the former mayors of Pearsall and Dilley and other local elected officials from those cities and Frio County, according to KSAT. Some of them were the targets of search warrants executed by Paxton's office in May, according to the San Antonio news station. Many were distraught by the allegations, Gabriel Rosales, League of United Latin American Citizens' Texas director, said in a brief interview. LULAC last year raised alarms about the raids in August in which authorities also targeted the homes of elderly volunteers with guns drawn in early morning hours, the group and targets said. 'It's very disappointing that they would want to continue to go on with this witchhunt,' Rosales said. 'They're literally in tears.' The extent of the allegations is not clear. The Tribune could not get copies of the indictments on Thursday. Frio County District Clerk Ofilia M. Trevino said they were not yet available online. Search warrants obtained by the Tribune last year following the raids showed that authorities were investigating allegations that a longtime Frio County political operator had illegally harvested votes for multiple local races in recent years. Vote harvesting, or the collection of ballots, is a term used by many Republicans to refer to the process of designating someone else to return a completed voter's ballot to election officials. The practice is permissible under federal law but numerous states have passed legislation to restrict it, including not letting the ballot collector be compensated or placing a limit on the number of ballots a person can collect, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The charges leveled by Paxton's office this spring were under a 2021 state law that made it a third-degree felony for a person to knowingly provide or offer 'vote harvesting services' — or the collection of ballots — in exchange for compensation, unless the person is employed as a caregiver for a voter who is eligible to vote by mail. That includes Texans who are 65 or older on Election Day or who are unable to vote in person due to illness or be away from their county throughout the entire election. Under the law, organizers of voter outreach groups and volunteers could spend up to 10 years in prison and be fined up to $10,000 for offering these services. 'The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system,' Paxton said in a May statement. 'Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.' Disclosure: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. 🎆 During our Independence Day Sale, save $30 on your TribFest ticket.* Tribune members, students and educators save even more! Act fast — Offer ends at midnight Friday, July 4. *Discount does not apply to Executive or VIP tickets TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chula Vista family concerned after ‘vote harvester' visits their home
(FOX 5/KUSI) — With the special election for San Diego County's District 1 supervisor nearing its close, a Chula Vista woman is raising concerns about ballot security after a man claiming to be a 'vote harvester' appeared at her doorstep. Tina Sheffield said the man showed up at her home around 3 p.m. on June 25 and asked her husband, Joseph, for their completed ballots. Sheffield said the interaction made her uncomfortable — and suspicious — even though the man may not have broken any laws. 'He identified himself as a vote harvester, and I thought, what does that even mean?' Sheffield said. Her husband initially handed over her ballot, but Sheffield quickly stepped in to retrieve it from the man's hand. 'I said, 'Oh, that's not necessary. I can handle it myself,'' she said. The man offered to show his driver's license and carried a clipboard and a lanyard with what appeared to be some type of identification. Sheffield said he told her he would receive 'kudos and a bonus' for collecting ballots — a comment that further alarmed her. 'That made it sound even fishier to me,' she said. 'I said, 'No thank you. I can handle it myself.'' The San Diego County Registrar of Voters confirmed that it is legal for campaign workers to collect ballots from voters who are unable to return them, as long as the ballots are delivered to election officials. However, the registrar strongly encourages voters to return ballots through trusted sources such as family members, friends or by using official drop boxes. 'We've lived here about 30 years, and I've never had this happen,' Sheffield said. 'I've had candidates come to the door to ask for our votes, but never someone trying to collect the actual ballots.' Neither Chula Vista Mayor John McCann nor Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre — the two candidates in the closely contested race — said they recognized the man. Aguirre's campaign said they do send canvassing teams door to door, but never ask voters for their ballots unless explicitly requested to do so. Sheffield said the experience has shaken her trust in the process. 'I thought it was very scary. I felt very threatened by it,' she said. 'You don't know who these people are or what they might do to get a vote — to compromise it or throw it away.' The registrar urges voters to mail in their ballots or drop them off at any official ballot box to ensure their vote is counted safely and securely. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials in rural Texas are accused of paying campaign worker who told elderly people how to vote: docs
Six people, including multiple public officials, have been arrested and charged as part of a long-running investigation into an alleged 'vote harvesting' scheme in a rural Texas county against vulnerable seniors during 2022 and 2023 elections. 'The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system,' Texas Attorney General Paxton said in a statement Wednesday announcing the arrests. 'Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.' The accused include Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho; former Frio County elections administrator Carlos Segura; Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza; Pearsall school district trustee Adriann Ramirez; and campaign worker Rosa Rodriguez. Candidates for local office allegedly paid a campaign worker named Cheryl Denise Castillo to collect ballots from voters at senior citizens complexes, according to court documents obtained by The Washington Post. Castillo, who died last year, allegedly prepared ballots for individuals, influenced their voting choices, and assisted individuals who were ineligible for such support under state voting law. In one December 2023 instance, the campaign worker allegedly told a candidate for sheriff she wouldn't help voters who supported her clients' rivals. In another instance a few months later, Castillo allegedly told a fellow campaign worker 'that 'honest to God' if you do not go after the elderly disabled, then you will lose your election,' according to the documents. Investigators reportedly recovered a text message to Castillo during the time of the alleged scheme that read, 'So that means you have stolen ballots from the elderly in elections LMFAO HARD.' 'Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballots, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot,' police wrote in a search warrant, adding that Castillo had been paid for her work. Segura, the former county elections administrator, called the allegations 'ridiculous' in an interview with the Post. The Independent has contacted Camacho and Ramirez for comment, and was unable to reach Rodriguez. In August 2024, investigators carried out search warrants related to the case in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties, with a grand jury arriving at charges on May 1 of this year. The investigation dates back to 2022, when a county judge candidate running against Camacho filed a complaint. Mary Moore told investigators she got a tip that Camacho hired Castillo to collect mail ballots for her, and that upon inspecting the ballots, the campaign worker filled out several without notifying officials she assisted anyone. Moore later went to Pine Hill Estates II, a nursing home, and allegedly captured video of Camacho, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Castillo walking out of the home with 'what appeared to be carrier envelopes,' according to an affidavit obtained by KSAT. 'Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballot by mail, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot,' per court records obtained by the outlet. Records obtained by Texas Scorecard reportedly show a convoluted web of payments for the alleged scheme, in which Rodriguez allegedly paid Camacho in May 2022 and May 2023 for vote-harvesting services. The funds then allegedly went to Ramirez, who made three Cash App payments in April 2023 to Castillo, according to the outlet. The six individuals, who face charges ranging from vote harvesting to tampering with evidence, could face up to 10 years in prison with fines up to $10,000. All suspects turned themselves in, and at least five have been released on bond. An arraignment is scheduled for May 23. The case comes as both state and national Republicans seek to crack down on alleged vulnerabilities in election security, a cause many Democrats dismiss as tackling a largely non-existent issue in an effort to disenfranchise certain voters. The indictment in the vote harvesting case in Texas comes just months after a September 2024 ruling from U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who found that the state's SB1 voter security law was vague, overly broad, and violates freedom of speech and the 14th Amendment, Texas Public Radio reports. The decision also found there's little evidence of illegal 'vote harvesting.' The decision temporarily paused Paxton's investigation, but he appealed, allowing the probe to move forward.
The Independent
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Officials in rural Texas are accused of paying campaign worker who told elderly people how to vote: docs
Six people, including multiple public officials, have been arrested and charged as part of a long-running investigation into an alleged 'vote harvesting' scheme in a rural Texas county against vulnerable seniors during 2022 and 2023 elections. 'The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system,' Texas Attorney General Paxton said in a statement Wednesday announcing the arrests. 'Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.' The accused include Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho; former Frio County elections administrator Carlos Segura; Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza; Pearsall school district trustee Adriann Ramirez; and campaign worker Rosa Rodriguez. Candidates for local office allegedly paid a campaign worker named Cheryl Denise Castillo to collect ballots from voters at senior citizens complexes, according to court documents obtained by The Washington Post. Castillo, who died last year, allegedly prepared ballots for individuals, influenced their voting choices, and assisted individuals who were ineligible for such support under state voting law. In one December 2023 instance, the campaign worker allegedly told a candidate for sheriff she wouldn't help voters who supported her clients' rivals. In another instance a few months later, Castillo allegedly told a fellow campaign worker 'that 'honest to God' if you do not go after the elderly disabled, then you will lose your election,' according to the documents. Investigators reportedly recovered a text message to Castillo during the time of the alleged scheme that read, 'So that means you have stolen ballots from the elderly in elections LMFAO HARD.' 'Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballots, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot,' police wrote in a search warrant, adding that Castillo had been paid for her work. Segura, the former county elections administrator, called the allegations 'ridiculous' in an interview with the Post. The Independent has contacted Camacho and Ramirez for comment, and was unable to reach Rodriguez. In August 2024, investigators carried out search warrants related to the case in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties, with a grand jury arriving at charges on May 1 of this year. The investigation dates back to 2022, when a county judge candidate running against Camacho filed a complaint. Mary Moore told investigators she got a tip that Camacho hired Castillo to collect mail ballots for her, and that upon inspecting the ballots, the campaign worker filled out several without notifying officials she assisted anyone. Moore later went to Pine Hill Estates II, a nursing home, and allegedly captured video of Camacho, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Castillo walking out of the home with 'what appeared to be carrier envelopes,' according to an affidavit obtained by KSAT. 'Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballot by mail, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot,' per court records obtained by the outlet. Records obtained by Texas Scorecard reportedly show a convoluted web of payments for the alleged scheme, in which Rodriguez allegedly paid Camacho in May 2022 and May 2023 for vote-harvesting services. The funds then allegedly went to Ramirez, who made three Cash App payments in April 2023 to Castillo, according to the outlet. The six individuals, who face charges ranging from vote harvesting to tampering with evidence, could face up to 10 years in prison with fines up to $10,000. All suspects turned themselves in, and at least five have been released on bond. An arraignment is scheduled for May 23. The case comes as both state and national Republicans seek to crack down on alleged vulnerabilities in election security, a cause many Democrats dismiss as tackling a largely non-existent in an effort to disenfranchise certain voters. The indictment in the vote harvesting case in Texas comes just months after a September 2024 ruling from U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who found that the state's SB1 voter security law was vague, overly broad, and violates freedom of speech and the 14th Amendment, Texas Public Radio reports. The decision also found there's little evidence of illegal 'vote harvesting.' The decision temporarily paused Paxton's investigation, but he appealed, allowing the probe to move forward.
