Posted on 11/20/2004 7:27:34 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
AUSTIN — A South Texas official Friday disputed a legislative candidate's suspicions of "hundreds of irregularities" in the Nov. 2 elections, but a state agency separately said it has reason to suspect criminal misconduct in Bee County balloting.
The recounts, sought and paid for by Eric Opiela of Karnes City, must start no later than Tuesday in Bee, Karnes and Jim Wells counties, according to the secretary of state's office.
Opiela, the Republican nominee for the District 35 House seat, said he suspects "hundreds of irregularities" in Jim Wells County, including people voting despite not being registered.
County voters favored Democratic candidate Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles of Alice. She got 70 percent of the votes to 30 percent for Opiela, contributing to her 835-vote victory in the seven-county district, according to tallies updated online.
Gonzalez-Toureilles, a lawyer, has said Opiela, a lawyer and rancher, should face reality and concede.
Isabel Heritage, a Jim Wells deputy county clerk, said Gonzalez-Toureilles swamped Opiela there because she lives in Jim Wells County, where her father is a pharmacist.
Heritage, saying she monitored the vote counting, said: "We might be off a couple of votes here and there," but "no one was robbed."
Opiela said the recounts could persuade him to concede or contest the results in the Texas House after the 2005 Legislature gathers in January. In a contest, the GOP-majority House could let the results stand, overturn the election, or order another election.
Also Friday, the secretary of state's office said it sent a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott's office endorsing a Bee County request for help investigating possible fraud involving mail ballots.
Such requests must be forwarded if "the secretary of state determines that there is reasonable cause to suspect that the alleged criminal conduct occurred," according to state law.
"I am looking forward to assistance," Sgt. Steve Linam of the Bee County Sheriff's Department said Friday.
Linam said he has found about 100 incidents of people offering illegal assistance to voters who voted by mail, with a few local residents apparently helping 30 to 40 people with mail ballots.
The law restricts individuals to helping only one person unless they are relatives. Individuals who knowingly sign multiple applications for mail ballots risk misdemeanor or state felony charges.
An Abbott spokesman said the request for help would be considered when it arrives.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- wselby@express-news.net
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