‘We will defend the ballot box from any bad actors seeking to unduly influence or illegally undermine Texas elections,’ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said.
Election Day rapid response legal teams are being deployed in major Texas counties by the state’s attorney general to monitor polling stations, enforce election laws, and address any issues that arise, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office said in a Nov. 4 statement.
The teams are ready to deal with “issues seen in previous cycles,” such as extended polling location closures, ballot shortages, and improper extension of voting hours, according to Paxton’s office.
“Similarly, the OAG will prepare to take defensive action against activist groups who might attempt to influence the election through litigation,” Paxton’s office said in its statement. “The Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team will coordinate with the Texas Secretary of State to ensure that all issues are addressed immediately, and that Texas elections are fair and secure.”
Paxton said the deployment of the teams is also to ensure the election process runs smoothly and without interference.
“There is no issue more important and more fundamental to our nation than election integrity,” he said. “Our Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team will be on the frontline on November 5th. We will defend the ballot box from any bad actors seeking to unduly influence or illegally undermine Texas elections.”
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a Nov. 1 statement that it plans to deploy poll monitors in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states across the country, including eight in Texas.
Paxton announced in a Nov. 4 social media post that he was suing the federal government for allegedly “dispatching federal agents to ’monitor’ Texas elections without any legal authority and in violation of State law.”
The lawsuit argued that “under Texas law, the list of persons who may be present in voting locations or central counting stations does not include federal authorities.”
A judge later rejected the bid by Texas officials to block the federal government from sending election monitors to the state.
Federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered the DOJ to confirm that “no observers” would be present in polling locations in Texas but did not issue the restraining order the state had requested.
“The Court cannot issue a temporary restraining order without further clarification on the distinction between ’monitoring‘ and ’observing’ on the eve of a consequential election,” Kacsmaryk said in the ruling.
In a similar case, a federal judge on Nov. 4 also rejected a bid by Missouri officials to block DOJ poll monitors.
The DOJ declined to comment on the lawsuits.
Reuters and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.