Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday threatened to place Harris County’s elections under state control, accusing local officials of repeated failures to enforce election laws after allegations surfaced involving improper voter registration addresses.
Abbott said the state could intervene after Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt alleged that more than 100 Harris County voters were registered using commercial P.O. box addresses, which are not allowed under Texas election law unless tied to a valid residential address. Abbott called Harris County a “repeat violator” of election integrity and suggested local officials were unwilling or unable to correct the issue.
Harris County officials quickly rejected the governor’s claims, calling them exaggerated and politically motivated. County leaders said there is no evidence that illegal votes were cast and emphasized that the county has already taken steps to review and verify the registrations in question.
“This is a baseless attack,” Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne said, noting that the county tax assessor-collector’s office is responsible for voter registration and has been working to resolve any technical issues identified by the state.
Abbott’s remarks revived debate over a 2023 Texas law that allows the secretary of state to place certain county election offices under administrative oversight. The law applies only to counties with populations exceeding four million — a threshold met solely by Harris County — and was passed after Republicans criticized election administration in Houston during recent election cycles.
Under the law, the secretary of state could assume control over election procedures, including approving county policies and overseeing election administration. Abbott has not formally initiated that process, but his comments signaled that such action remains under consideration.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo and other local leaders warned that the governor’s rhetoric risks undermining public confidence in elections. They argued that voter registration issues are routinely addressed through established legal processes and do not justify a state takeover.
“This is about power, not election security,” Hidalgo said.
The dispute comes as Texas gears up for high-profile elections in 2026, with Harris County remaining one of the state’s most politically influential and closely watched jurisdictions. Republican leaders have argued that stronger state oversight is needed, while Democrats say the county is being unfairly targeted because of its size and Democratic lean.
No timeline has been announced for any potential state intervention, and the secretary of state’s office has not indicated that a formal takeover is imminent.