FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2024
Media Contact: Sam Somogye
HOUSTON — Hours ago, in the election trial contest of Tami C. Pierce vs. Dasean A. Jones, Judge David Peeples ruled in favor of Tami Pierce and ordered a new election.
The court found that 1,430 illegal votes were involved in the 180th District Court race and that it was impossible to determine which candidate received those votes.
The court also found that a “net margin of 321 votes (1146 to 825) were cast for Jones over Pierce in the extended one hour of voting on Election Day, which the court has found resulted from an official mistake by the Harris County Elections Administration Office.”
It was also ruled that Plaintiff Tami Pierce will recover a judgment for over $65,000 from Dasean Jones due to his frivolous attempt to dismiss this case in January of 2023.
“Judge Peeples’s decision to order a new election confirms what the Harris County GOP has been saying since 2022 — The previous election administrations’ handling of our elections was beyond negligent, resulting in voters’ confidence in our elections being damaged,” said Harris County GOP Chairman Cindy Siegel.
“This decision is monumental and makes it clear to anyone running elections in the state of Texas that if they don’t follow the letter of the law, there will be consequences.
“While Tami Pierce came out on top in this case, the real winner is the Harris County voter, who can now have some faith restored in our electoral process. We all owe Tami a huge debt of gratitude for her courage, grit, and willingness to see what has been a painstaking process through to the very end.
“The scheduling of the new election has not been set, but we urge the Secretary of State to take urgent action. The voters of Harris County were disenfranchised two years ago and deserve to cast their ballots in this new election as soon as possible.
“We have waited long enough to correct this wrong, and the Harris County Republican Party is looking forward to supporting Tami Pierce in every way possible and getting her elected as we move forward.”
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