Starr Co. mail-in ballots impounded
RIO GRANDE CITY — Authorities have impounded several mail-in ballots on suspicion they may have been tampered with, said District Attorney Heriberto Silva, whose jurisdiction includes Starr County.
Although investigators remained tight-lipped about the details of the case, county election administrators said it was too soon to know whether the suspicious ballots affected the integrity of Tuesday’s vote.
“You can’t tell until the investigation is complete,” said Starr County Elections Administrator Rudy Montalvo. “Until that time, we won’t know where it’s at.”
While declining to name a suspect, Silva said a post office clerk reported an individual trying to drop off dozens of mail-in ballots at once.
State law requires those who have requested mail-in ballots to send them off themselves or place the signature of anyone who helped them on the ballot envelope, Silva said.
“I got a request from the Texas Rangers to investigate,” he said. “The clerk was able to identify the person that delivered the ballots.”
Investigators with the district attorney’s office have not yet had a chance to go through the impounded ballots to make sure the required signatures were in place.
Although Starr County voters headed to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in 14 local races, most of this year’s top-ticket contests — including those for sheriff, county judge and many justice of the peace slots — only had a single candidate.
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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 587-9377.
