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Houston Public Media | Politics-Election Coverage Submission 2023 

Harris County 2022 Elections

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Campaign and voting signs line the entry way to a polling station in Harris County.

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Our election coverage in 2022 began with a resignation. The Harris County elections administrator quits after failing to meet the count deadline and overlooking a batch of ballots. It marked an election year rife with controversy and lawsuits. As changing demographics make the Houston region bluer, Texas politics is shifting further to the right. Our stories reflect that tension as the county fights state elections audits, a slew of voter restrictions laws create confusion over mail-in ballots, and a federal lawsuit challenges redistricting that disfavors minority voters.

Throughout election season we also did stories to debunk election disinformation, educate voters on pertinent issues and races, and collaborated with The Texas Newsroom on a statewide project to talk with Latino voters about issues important to them.

And on election day, despite efforts of the newly minted elections administrator, our reporters found precincts with offline voting machines, shortages of paper ballots, and doors that didn't open for hours – problems that eventually led to multiple legal challenges of race results.