KATY, Texas (KTRK) — Governor Greg Abbott was in Katy on Tuesday for a meeting with small business owners as he continues work on his 2026 reelection campaign.
It’s his second trip to the Houston area in as many weeks as he seeks a record fourth term as Governor.
His visit comes days after he wrote on social media, “Harris County is a repeat violator of election integrity. Harris County elections officials find more than 100 voter registrations illegally tied to P.O. boxes. They should be stripped of operating elections, and state officials should take over. Potential legal charges should also be considered.”
In an interview with ABC13, Governor Abbott said his primary concern is election integrity. He wants the people of Harris County to have confidence in the results.
He cited issues with Harris County elections in 2020, 2022, and then in 2024.
The legislature passed a law, SB 1111, to prevent voters from registering at PO Boxes, with certain exceptions.
But after a complaint from State Senator Paul Bettencourt late last year about registrations at two PO Box locations, the Harris County Registrar investigated and found 125 such voters, 16 of whom were already suspended.
“And so time and time and time again,” Governor Abbott said, “we’re seeing Harris County engage in practices that compromise election integrity. The only thing I am seeking to achieve is the integrity of elections in Harris County and across the state of Texas. Again, the goal is not for the state to run elections other than what the secretary of state already does. It’s for local officials to run it. However, if they’re not going to follow the law, something has to be done.”
For its part, the county registrar told ABC at the time the Registrar’s office did follow the law and that immediately sent letters to the voters registered at PO Boxes and are awaiting replies.
If they don’t fall within the exception, their registration will be suspended. To date, there has never been an allegation that an unlawful PO Box registration affected the outcome of an election.
Harris County has more than 2.6 million registered voters.
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