Harris County, Texas, is under investigation after State Sen. Paul Bettencourt raised concerns that some voters were using P.O. boxes as residential addresses, which is not allowed under Texas law. The Texas Secretary of State, Jane Nelson, has given the county 30 days to respond before deciding on further action. Bettencourt’s complaint noted that over 120 voters were registered to P.O. boxes at two UPS locations. He said, "The data is clear: Harris County is still allowing voters to register using private P.O. Boxes, which is illegal under Texas law," according to CW39.
The Harris County Tax Office has pledged to cooperate with the investigation into voter registration issues, stating, "The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar’s office is committed to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the Harris County voter roll and to complying with all applicable laws." State Sen. Paul Bettencourt has criticized this response as insufficient and called for broader oversight to ensure voter roll integrity, as reported by Houston Public Media.
Bettencourt told Houston Public Media, "There’s obviously an utter lack of compliance, and that’s gone on for years." The Secretary of State could impose stricter oversight, audits, or withhold funding if systemic issues are found, amid ongoing investigations into election integrity, including alleged noncitizens voting in the county.
