Tag Archives: judicial races

Judicial Q&A: Brandi Croffie

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Brandi Croffie

Judicial Q&A: Troy Moore

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Troy Moore

Judicial Q&A: Erica Hughes

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Erica Hughes

Judicial Q&A: Judge Mike Engelhart

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Judge Mike Engelhart

Judicial Q&A: Velda Faulkner

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Velda Faulkner

Judicial Q&A: Justice Richard Hightower

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Judicial Q&A: Allison Jackson Mathis

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton versus the CCA

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

He’s on a revenge tour. Attorney General Ken Paxton is turning up the heat in the Republican primary for Texas’ highest criminal court, where three judges are up for reelection. Paxton has long made clear he would be going after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

One key takeaway from the SCOTx ruling in the Kate Cox case

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’re as mad about the Kate Cox case as I am. The thing you need to know is there is very much something you can do about it. Like, right now. When a majority of Texans want the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

More filing deadline news and notes

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to use the Erik Manning Spreadsheet, the Patrick Svitek spreadsheet, and the Secretary of State webpage to put together some notes and observations about the 2024 filing deadline and primary lineups. Note that some of this may still … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SJL files for re-election

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We have our answer. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee will run for reelection in Texas’ 18th Congressional District, shaking up a Democratic primary that’s been in limbo since her resounding defeat in the race for Houston mayor on Saturday. Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Whiny loser election lawsuits finally tossed

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The results of Harris County’s highly scrutinized November 2022 election were upheld Thursday evening by a judge, who threw out all but one remaining election contest out of 21 related lawsuits. Republican candidate Erin Lunceford filed her suit in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Whiny loser election lawsuits finally tossed

Judge Hidalgo returns

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome back. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo thanked Harris County residents for their support Monday in a statement announcing her return to work after an extended leave of absence to receive mental health treatment. Hidalgo said in the statement that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New criminal courts coming online

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Three new felony courts with a $9.2 million budget are expected to open next week, in what officials say is the final stretch in tackling a backlog of criminal cases that have piled up over the past six years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Whiny loser Mealer drops her election contest lawsuit

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Girl, bye. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s former Republican opponent, dropped her lawsuit challenging the results of the election she lost last November by over 18,000 votes, according to court documents filed Thursday. Mealer filed an … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

One losing Republican drops his sore loser lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A Harris County GOP judicial candidate dropped his lawsuit challenging his November election results, one of 21 similar pending lawsuits brought by defeated Republican candidates. Dan Spjut lost the race for the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on One losing Republican drops his sore loser lawsuit

Sore loser election contest lawsuit trial concludes

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Up to the judge now. Attorneys made their closing arguments Thursday in a case aimed at throwing out Harris County’s November election results, the first to go to trial out of 21 pending lawsuits brought by defeated Republican candidates in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Checking in on the sore loser election contest lawsuit

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a lot of the same old song. Attorneys pored over Harris County voter records in a downtown courtroom Tuesday afternoon, arguing over the validity of thousands of ballots cast nearly nine months ago. It was the first day in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

First (and hopefully only) sore loser election contest lawsuit begins Tuesday

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

What a slog this has been. Republicans who have spent the past nine months questioning Harris County’s November elections will have their day in court Tuesday when the first of 21 lawsuits aimed at overturning the results will go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Were these courts really necessary?

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Should have added these two bills to the “will be sued over” list. Republican state leaders’ plan to create two new types of statewide courts is facing backlash from critics who say they are unconstitutional and will unfairly benefit large … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NEW Houston requests retraction of bad KHOU story about paper ballot issues

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Houston Leaders Call on Channel 11 To Retract Discredited Report On 2022 Election Paper Shortages Two New Investigations Debunk Central Claims Presented to the Public by KHOU; Deeply Flawed and Misleading Report Used As Basis by Gov. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The sore loser election contest lawsuits have been delayed

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This obituary of local Republican activist and professional election denier/vote suppressor Alan Vera was far too kind to him – Votebeat did a better job of accurately capturing his “achievements” – but it did contain one useful piece of information, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The sore loser election contest lawsuits have been delayed

The case of the no-evidence lawsuit

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The lack of evidence in the Harris County election lawsuits is so glaring, I don’t know how we’re talking about anything else. In the weeks following Harris County’s November election, 22 Republican candidates who lost their races filed lawsuits challenging the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There were fewer voting sites with paper issues than we thought

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s my takeaway from this. On Election Day last year, an unusual problem occurred around 6 p.m. — the polling place at El Lago City Hall ran out of paper ballots. Republican presiding judge Chris Russo, the election worker running … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What will it take to keep those ten appellate court benches we won in 2018?

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, Democrats won a ton of Appellate Court races in 2018. Ten of them, in fact, five each on the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals, the first such victories since winning a lone bench in 2008. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Even the Republicans know their election contests are losers

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story is about Dan Patrick telling a group of local Republicans that the 2022 election should be re-done in Harris County, because he has nothing better to say or do with his time. His claims, which the story … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Precinct analysis: The different kinds of courts

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread Hidalgo versus Mealer Better statewide races Not as good statewide races County executive offices Houston/not Houston I’ve spent a lot of time and space on this blog talking about judicial races and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HD135 election contest dismissed

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: This week, Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan dismissed the election contest filed by Mike May, the candidate who lost to Representative Jon Rosenthal in the 2022 election for house district 135. The case was dismissed … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HD135 election contest dismissed

Precinct analysis: County executive offices

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread Hidalgo versus Mealer Better statewide races Not as good statewide races County races appear towards the bottom of the ballot, after all of the federal and state races. With the exception of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Precinct analysis: Hidalgo versus Mealer

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread We’ve looked at the Governor’s race, in which Beto was the top Democratic performer. Now we’ll look at the next highest profile race, in which the result was a surprise to some … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

SCOTx allows provisional votes to be counted

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Harris County can include about 2,100 ballots cast during an extra hour of Election Day voting when officials certify the midterm results. But the state’s highest civil court also ordered Harris County … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Paxton sues to prevent some provisional votes from being counted

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

On brand. Always, always on brand. The Texas Attorney General’s office is attempting a last-minute intervention to toss out 2,000 provisional ballots before a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday to certify the November election. The ballots in question were … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

DaSean Jones wins after provisional and cured mail ballots are counted

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure someone is going to throw a fit over this. The Harris County felony judge race for the 180th criminal state district court flipped Friday night in favor of incumbent DaSean Jones after new mail and provisional ballots were … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A brief look at the judicial races

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From a few days ago: The advertisements rolled out with weeks to go until the November election. In one TV spot, the sister of Martha Medina urged Harris County voters in Spanish and another in English to honor her sister, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments