Tag Archives: Harris County Clerk

Less is more, local legislative edition

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County and the city of Houston generally play more defense than offense when the Legislature is in session, so as a rule the fewer bills that get passed that affect them, the better. County and city lobbyists said their … Continue reading →

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

Getting all of the courts ready for e-filing

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I confess to being a little confused at first when I read this. A half-dozen Harris County departments will spend the rest of the year scrambling to fulfill a Texas Supreme Court mandate that all civil courts accept only electronic … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today is Runoff Day in SD06

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County’s Chief Election Official Stan Stanart reminds eligible voters in State Senate District 6 that the last day to vote in the Special Runoff Election is Saturday, March 2, 2013. Polls will be open from 7 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today is Runoff Day in SD06

January finance reports for Harris County offices

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the most part, it’s way too early to start thinking about the 2014 Harris County elections – we have a legislative session and a city election cycle to get through first – but since January 15 is a reporting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today’s the day

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At long last, the death march known as Election 2012 will come to an end today, at which time we can begin gearing up for the next elections in 2013, 2014, and 2016, as well as dreading what the Legislature … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another reason to vote early

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Your Election Day polling location may not be what you’re used to. Recent redistricting will force about 20 percent of Harris County voters to cast ballots at new polling locations on Election Day, County Clerk Stan Stanart said Monday. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

HCDE election lawsuit dismissed

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The lineup for the fall elections is now officially set. The disputed election results for the trustee runoff between two Democratic candidates will stand after a federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Harris County Department of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HCDE election lawsuit dismissed

Response from County Clerk to Wallach testimony about recounts

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following was sent to me in email by Hector DeLeon, the Director of Communications and Voter Outreach for Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart: I read Dan Wallach’s report of the recount in your blog titled Diaz Still Leads After … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Guinn seeks recount

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I blame him. Democratic Precinct 2 constable candidate Zerick Guinn has requested a recount in his primary runoff against Chris Diaz, who won by 16 votes after incorrect election results posted online showed Guinn with a commanding lead … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We speak again of an elections administrator

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’ve been wondering when this might happen. Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart said he will ask the Texas Secretary of State’s Office to examine his office’s election processes after a “human error” in his office caused erroneous … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Chron smacks Stanart and Sumners

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ouch. Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart is bad at his job. Specifically, Stanart has performed poorly as chief election officer in his duty to responsibly and effectively administer elections for Harris County. […] Stanart said that the delayed results were … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Is it time for an election administrator?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Campos revives an old topic. I think it is way past time to get an Election Administrator over at the County and take running the elections out of the hands of the ideologues and partisans. [County Judge Ed Emmett] and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Now you see those votes, now you don’t

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tuesday was not a good day for the County Clerk. Zerick Guinn went to bed late Tuesday, believing he had won the Democratic nomination for Precinct 2 constable by a comfortable margin. By morning, he had lost the race by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Boundary screwup could affect HCDE race

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is just freakin’ great. Because of a mix-up with the new district boundaries, not everyone who was qualified to vote in a school trustee race was able to and some voters who weren’t supposed to, were allowed to cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Early voting begins today

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Feels weird to be talking about early voting for the primaries now, doesn’t it? Well, ready or not after all this time and all these twists in the road, here we are. Here are your early voting locations and schedule. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Election Day 2011

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you already know this, but today is the day to vote if you haven’t done so already. For Harris County, you can find your polling place here. You do not need any more identification than you’ve always needed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s not “he said, she said” if one of them is factually correct

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story from Monday about a mishap at the County Clerk’s office really annoys me for what it doesn’t say. A manual being using to train election judges for next week’s elections contains inaccurate information, reflecting a new voter … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

County’s voting machines get new home

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hope for no more fires. Harris County is buying a building to house voting machines and other equipment that will replace a warehouse destroyed by fire last August. The $4.35 million purchase of a facility on Todd Road near … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on County’s voting machines get new home

County buys more eSlates

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Now that the election is over and all those borrowed voting machines need to be sent back to their owners, Harris County needs to buy replacements. Commissioners Court has approved an expenditure of $19 million to buy some 4600 eSlate … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Electronic voting will be the norm today

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the County Clerk’s office: ELECTRONIC VOTING TO BE THE PRINCIPAL METHOD OF VOTING ON ELECTION DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY Houston, TX– As usual, on General Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010, the eSlate electronic voting system will be the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Final early vote wrapup

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As was the case in 2008, we saw record levels of early voting this year in Harris County. As polls closed Friday before Tuesday’s general election, as many as 450,000 people are expected to have cast their ballots early or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: The remaining countywides

Posted on October 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After making a normal and expected endorsement of County Judge Ed Emmett and an abnormal and unexpected endorsement of Orlando Sanchez, the Chron goes Democratic for the remaining three countywide offices. District Clerk: The duties of this office include summoning … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: The remaining countywides

The long ballot

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, the ballot you will see this November is as long as any has ever been. But let’s not lose perspective. If it seems like that Harris County ballot you got in the mail is long, it is. Veteran election … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The long ballot

Chron overview of the County Clerk race

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron overview story of the County Clerk race between Democrat Ann Harris Bennett and Republican Stan Stanart to replace the retiring Beverly Kaufman. This is the bit that interested me: Where Bennett and Stanart diverge is their approach … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron overview of the County Clerk race

County receives voting equipment

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On Monday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m., Harris County received the first of what will be several shipments of election equipment from counties across Texas. The delivery begins the gradual gathering of equipment needed to conduct the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on County receives voting equipment

County says it’s as ready as it’s going to be for the election

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We won’t have as many voting machines as we’d originally planned, but the Harris County Clerk thinks we’ll have enough to get by. In addition to the [3100 new machines Commissioners Court authorized them to buy], the county has received … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Interview with Ann Harris Bennett

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Ann Harris Bennett is the Democratic nominee to succeed retiring Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman. Bennett is a 14-year employee of the county, having worked as the Court Coordinator for the 55th and 152nd District Courts. As we know, there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The elections administrator

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a look at the elections administrator proposal that has been under study. The idea of an elections administrator percolated during the spring as a way to cloak the function in a mantle of nonpartisanship, and incidentally, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Paper ballots: Views differ

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One reason why Harris County will make paper ballots available to anyone who wants them this year is because Beverly Kaufman is afraid we won’t get enough replacement voting machines in time for the election. In a letter to county … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on the county’s plan for the election

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a press release from the County Clerk’s office about the current plans for conducting the election in the aftermath of the fire. “The public should know that a plan had to be enacted quickly to be able to conduct … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Paper ballots on the menu

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The county’s plan for dealing with the loss of all of its voting machines includes some low technology. Despite a fire that destroyed Harris County’s voting machines Friday, County Clerk Beverly Kaufman said she intends to keep all polling places … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Cause of fire that destroyed voting machines still not determined

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope it’s not arson. Lord knows, though, there’s a million conspiracy theories you could spin if it turns out it was. Houston’s fire marshal’s office hasn’t made a ruling on whether Friday’s early-morning fire was accidental or deliberately … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Elections equipment damaged in fire

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Uh oh. Harris County voting machines were heavily damaged in a 3-alarm fire at warehouse in north Houston early this morning. The fire broke out about 4:15 a.m. at the county’s election equipment storage facility in the 600 block of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Elections administrator proposal will get a study

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, Commissioners Court is going to consider the possibility of creating an appointed elections administrator position. The Court orders studies as preludes to formally adopting a public policy change. Dick Raycraft, director of management services, was charged … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments