News about counterfeit luxury watch items linked to a Houston store.
Counterfeit Rolex , Cartier and Louis Vuitton items worth up to $300K linked to Houston store, records show Houston mother says road rage incident on Katy Freeway ended with shooting caught on cameraFamily of River Oaks murder-suicide victims releases first public statementHarris County taxpayers have already spent millions on elections this year.
Now officials are asking whether Texas law is forcing counties into unnecessary runoff costs. Early morning voters wait outside in the rain at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston on Nov. 5, 2024. – Harris County voters have been called to the polls again and again over the last several months. Before counting May’s runoff elections, Harris County has already spent nearly $5 million on elections according to county figures reviewed by KPRC 2 News.
In 2024 alone, Harris County spent roughly $15.6 million conducting primary elections and runoff contests, according to county election data. Now, county leaders and election reform advocates are asking a bigger question: can Harris County reduce repeat elections and save taxpayers money without changing who gets a voice in the process?
“When it comes to costs for the third largest county in the nation, the largest county in the state of Texas, elections are very expensive,” Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth told KPRC 2 News’s Rilwan Balogun. “This is a massive operation here in Harris County. ” Hudspeth says many voters do not realize the scale of the operation required to run elections across Harris County.
The county oversees elections for city, county, state, and federal races functioning almost like a contractor for every jurisdiction holding an election.
“Election workers are trained and they are paid. We have to evaluate all that equipment before it goes into the field,” Hudspeth explained.
“We audit the equipment, prepare ballot language, provide translations, and after voting concludes, all machines and paperwork have to come back for audits and hand counts. ”“The county clerk’s office, we don’t have the authority to say, ‘Hey, you have to be a polling location and make your facility free,’” Hudspeth said.
“On average, we have more than 80 early voting sites. On Election Day, anywhere from 500 to 700 polling locations. So just on facilities alone is a high-cost factor. ”“November, December, January, March primaries, then a special election for the City of Houston, then May 2nd, then a runoff, then the May 26th primary runoff,” Hudspeth said.
“Eight elections nonstop. ”Hudspeth says one possible solution may not require changing how Texans vote but when they vote. Texas law currently restricts many elections from being consolidated during primary election periods, forcing counties to conduct separate elections for vacancies and runoff races.
“There is a way to streamline,” Hudspeth said. “When elected officials vacate seats and cause a vacancy, it would be really great for those elections to take place on the next uniform election date rather than prescribing its own election date. ” Hudspeth says combining races onto fewer election dates could reduce staffing, facility, and equipment costs.
“It’s really important to create these dates in a way that makes it feasible for counties,” she said. “It’s more cost-effective. We’re being fiscally responsible in making sure that we can get those races all on one particular date. ”Some election reform advocates believe another option could dramatically reduce the need for runoff elections altogether: ranked choice voting, also called instant runoff voting.
Instead of selecting just one candidate, voters rank candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated. Those ballots are then reassigned to voters’ next preferred candidate. The process repeats until one candidate earns a majority.
Supporters say the system effectively conducts a runoff instantly without requiring voters to return weeks later for another election. Mary Beth Gilbert with Instant Runoff Voting for Texas says the system captures voter preferences while turnout is highest. Gilbert argues Texas taxpayers are paying repeatedly for duplicate election infrastructure.
“You’re putting out the same machines, paying the same clerks, the same administrative fees, you’re doing it all a second time,” Gilbert said. “Taxpayers are paying,” Gilbert said. “Whether it is the secretary of state, counties, cities they’re all tax-collecting organizations and we’re paying for it. ”“Texas is a conservative state, and part of conservatism is an effective use of taxpayer dollars,” she said.
“Millions and millions of dollars can be saved. ” Hudspeth agrees the idea deserves discussion though she noted any major election changes would require approval from the Texas Legislature.
“Can Harris County in a state like Texas benefit from ranked choice voting? Absolutely,” Hudspeth said.
“But this is really something that the Texas Legislature would have to say, ‘we want to really dive into this. ’”Since 1994, 97% of congressional primary runoffs have seen lower turnout than the original election. FairVote estimates federal primary runoffs cost taxpayers between $6.9 million and $12 million in 2024 alone. The group also found that most runoff winners actually received fewer total votes in the runoff than they did in the original election.
FairVote argues ranked choice voting functions as an “instant runoff,” allowing elections to be decided in one trip to the polls while turnout is highest. The organization also says research suggests ranked choice voting can reduce negative campaigning because candidates have incentives to appeal to voters beyond their core supporters. But despite growing national interest in ranked choice voting, opposition in Texas remains strong especially among Republicans.
The resolution argued that ranked choice systems can create “ballot exhaustion,” referring to ballots that become inactive if voters do not rank enough candidates. The party also stated that ranked choice voting could “increase election distrust,” “disenfranchise voters,” and create “costly and confusing technology. ”Gilbert acknowledges skepticism exists.
“I think there is some distrust of instant runoff voting because of how it’s been used in other states,” she said. “Texas is unique. Every state is unique. ”Gilbert counters that voters are not required to rank more than one.
“There’s no need to rank any more than one candidate,” she said. “But you have an opportunity to express support for other candidates. ”For now, any changes to Texas election law would have to come from lawmakers in Austin. But with election costs climbing and voters repeatedly being called back to the polls, county officials say the current system may not be sustainable long term.
Hudspeth says even if Texas never adopts ranked choice voting, lawmakers should still consider ways to reduce the number of separate election dates counties are forced to administer.
“The state law now says no other elections can take place during a primary election,” Hudspeth said. “But if there’s a special election within a certain timeframe, it would make sense to hold it on the next uniform election date. ” Hudspeth says consolidating elections could make the process more efficient for counties across Texas.
“It’s really important to create these dates in a way that makes it feasible for counties,” she said. “It’s more cost-effective and fiscally responsible. ” If lawmakers eventually change the rules, it could mean fewer election days, fewer trips to the polls and potentially millions of taxpayer dollars used elsewhere.
Flood threat continues through Memorial Day weekend for HoustonMan accused of inappropriately filming unsuspecting women at North Freeway Walmart storeHouston-area Katy HS softball prepares to show off its elite hitting in the state semifinalsAnother Harris County murder suspect on the run after allegedly cutting off GPS monitor before trialDefendant accused in deadly 100 MPH crash wanted after cutting ankle monitor days before trialWet and stormy week ahead for HoustonAnother body found in a Houston bayou. 🚨
Please follow us on Google to support us News Counterfeit Rolex Cartier Louis Vuitton Houston Store Records
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Cardi B appointed as first-ever global brand ambassador for Luxury Resale Company, FashionphileAmerican rapper Cardi B has been named as the first ever global brand ambassador for luxury resale company Fashionphile. She has announced the partnership in a statement. They aim to bring together her style, reputation, and cultural authority with Fashionphile's luxury collection. The campaign will feature her engagement with Fashionphile bags.
Read more »
Counterfeit Rolex, Cartier and Louis Vuitton items worth up to $300K linked to Houston store, records showInvestigators say counterfeit luxury watches, jewelry and accessories allegedly sold at a Houston jewelry store were worth less than $300,000.
Read more »
Look for these 3 new items coming to Taco BellLimited-time items include a birria-inspired taco and new take on Nacho Fries.
Read more »
Snohomish County mail theft ring 'major player' allegedly used counterfeit postal keysA man suspected of stealing mail and people's identities across Snohomish County is set to face a superior court judge Thursday afternoon.Police describe 37-yea
Read more »