Well, one way or another there will be an election in Harris County. As far as how effectively and securely it will be run and how voter access may be affected will not be determined until November 2nd.
The Harris County Commissioners approved over $13 million for 2,325 new voting machines and other equipment needed to run an election. Plus the few that may come in as “borrowed.”
And just in case…
Kaufman’s request included 1.4 million paper ballots, which will be distributed to polling stations as a backup in case a shortage of machines leads to long lines.
According to a Quorum Report tweet, Dems are calling for the Department of Justice to oversee the election. Obviously, there will be concerns about ballot security, and just plain access. Vote tabulations may go far into the night, or even the next day, and ensuring the security of the tabulation process is of the essence. While there seems to be a plan to buy the machines, I hope we hear more about security measures in the near future.
Frankly, I think we need international observers and the Jimmy Carter Center as impartial eyes to provide some oversight.
All of a sudden, Harris County voter and election services under Republican rule have something to prove in regards to ensuring secure elections, other than complaining about non-existent voter fraud and voter registration.
