Replies

James Nielsen : Chronicle

Bush campaigns in Sugar Land — President Bush hugs Pat McWaters after his arrival today at Ellington Field in Houston. She received the President's Volunteer Service Award. In Sugar Land, Bush urged support for Shelley Sekula-Gibbs. READ STORY

Poll finds dead heat in 22nd District

Oct. 30, 2006, 6:02PM
Bush stumps for Sekula-Gibbs in Sugar Land
By KRISTEN MACK and ERIC HANSON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

President Bush, his collar open and his sleeves rolled up, told 2,000 cheering Republicans in Sugar Land today that they should "bring your pencil" to the polls and write-in the name of Shelley Sekula-Gibbs to succeed Tom DeLay in the U.S. House.
"I always feel better when I'm in Texas," Bush said to the crowd packed into a hangar at the Sugar Land airport, before urging them to take the extra steps necessary to vote for Sekula-Gibbs.

Most voters won't really need a pencil to cast write-in votes because they'll use electronic voting machines. If they write in the councilwoman's name, they'll turn a dial selecting the 18-letter name a character at a time.
"I know I could have given you an easier name and next time I'll think about that," Sekula-Gibbs told the crowd as they waited for the president. Bush was expected to deliver a 45-minute speech before heading by helicopter back to Ellington Field and departing on Air Force One.
Sekula-Gibbs is the party-backed write-in candidate to succeed DeLay, R-Sugar Land, who resigned from Congress after winning the Republican nomination for a 12th term.
A new Chronicle-11 News poll indicates that the race is close, even though Democratic nominee Nick Lampson and Libertarian Bob Smither are on the ballot for the term that begins in January and Sekula-Gibbs isn't.
She is on the ballot in a separate, special election for the final weeks of DeLay's term.
"It's not every day the president of the United States comes to help a girl from Floresville campaign," Sekula-Gibbs said, referring to her south central Texas birthplace.
Also speaking at today's rally were U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, state Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, and state Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land.
A handful of protesters walked along Texas 6 near the airport carrying signs against the war in Iraq , but they never were close to the president or the rally.
Lampson kept a low profile as Republicans awaited the president today, meeting privately with donors. He planned to attend a small event tonight at a cousin's house in Pearland.
Lampson campaign manager Mike Malaise issued a statement saying Bush came to town "to try and stir up the base for one of our opponents because she is such a hard sell to that base."
kristen.mack@chron.com

Let the jousting begin .......

Complaints made about voting help

By Stephen Palkot Monday, October 30, 2006 2:09 PM CST

As polls reveal the Congressional District 22 race may be heading to a photo finish, allegations began coming from both sides of improper activity at polling sites.

Following on the heels of Friday's claim that Republican write-in candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs illegally campaigned inside an early voting location, Democrats complained about the degree to which elections workers have been assisting voters with the eSlate voting machines.
Since the first day of early voting, Oct. 23, Fort Bend County elections administrator J.R. Perez said he has heard allegations from poll watchers for Democratic candidate Nick Lampson that elections workers have been overzealous in the degree to which they have been assisting voters with the write-in procedure.

Perez defended his employees.

"I personally think it's a disservice to the voter that we are being gagged in instances," he said. "I think the voter needs some extra assistance."

Poll workers have been "restricted to too great a degree" in their efforts to facilitate voting, said Perez. He clarified "restricted" to mean that he believes too many complaints have been lodged against them, leaving them "worried about doing something wrong" and reluctant to properly assist voters.

No allegations have been raised, though, that poll watchers have directly interfered with the actions of poll workers.

Perez said many voters are using the eSlate machines for the first time, casting votes in what can be a large and complex ballot including city and school district bond propositions - along with the District 22 race. He said a poll worker could theoretically enter a voting machine to answer questions by a voter about the balloting process, as long as the poll worker does not influence the decision of the voter.

Since hearing the complaints, Perez has sent a note clarifying the law to all elections workers. Nevertheless, he defends the actions of poll workers and their decisions to assist voters.

Representatives of both the Lampson and the Sekula-Gibbs' campaigns said Monday morning they could not comment on the allegations or activities of poll observers.

In the meantime, Democrats are following up on their complaint that Sekula-Gibbs broke election laws last week by speaking with a poll worker at a voting location in the First Colony Community Center.

Sekula-Gibbs, an at-large member of the Houston city council, had been campaigning Friday outside of the early voting location, which is allowed only more than 100 feet from the polling site. However, a Democratic observer has alleged that Sekula-Gibbs entered the polling site and spoke with several people there, including voters.

Sekula-Gibbs said she entered the building only to use the restroom. She admitted speaking briefly with a poll worker but denies that she spoke with voters or campaigned.

"Instead of focusing on the issues, her opponent (Lampson) is attacking to try to divert attention away from the issues," said Sekula-Gibbs' campaign manager, Lisa Dimond.

Texas Democratic general counsel Chad Dunn has said an affidavit will be completed, based on the account of the poll worker, and will be submitted to the Texas Secretary of State's Office for review.

“Sekula-Gibbs's illegal electioneering smacks of the Tom DeLay-style campaign tactics that have plagued Texas voters for years,” said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie. “Voters have a right to cast their ballot without Shelley Sekula-Gibbs or any other candidate looking over their shoulder or twisting their arm.”

The Houston Chronicle on Monday reported that the race between Lampson and Sekula-Gibbs has become extremely tight, with the two candidates within a percentage point of each other in the most recent poll.