Local News: Grimes County Democratic Chair Apologizes

Sphere: Related Content Party Chair Apologizes to Election Judges
By Dave Lewis (Examiner Publisher)

From the Navasota Examiner

Some 41 days after the 2008 general election, Grimes County Democratic Party Chair Larry Snook said Monday he could now recommend that the election be certified and apologized “for the problems that were caused by my errors.”

In a special workshop meeting of the Grimes County Commissioners Court, Snook told those present that after meeting with Becky Duff and Jean LeNorman in the County Elections Administration Office, he was satisfied that the numbers were correct in terms of voting machine totals and voter signature sheet totals.

“A lot of the errors that I found the first time through were counting errors on my part,” Snook said. The errors, he added, were a result of misplaced combination forms, the mixing of combination forms from the City of Navasota election and from the courthouse and Navasota early voting not getting into precinct folders. “It was relatively easy to solve these problems and make a good count as soon as we approached them in a cooperative manner,” Snook added.

Even with his apology, many of the election judges and alternates present at Monday’s meeting said they still felt like their integrity had been challenged. “I’m very hurt in the way it was handled,” offered election judge Mary Fontaine.


Snook, who is completing his second two-year term as county Democratic Party chair, initially challenged what he called significant differences in the number of voters shown on machine totals in comparison with voter rolls. Although voter sign-in sheet numbers are not required to match with machine totals, they do serve as an indicator of voter activity in the precinct polling places.

County Republican Chair Malcolm Green said the chief function of the sign-in sheets is to help make sure ineligible persons are not allowed to vote.

“I apologize if some of you felt there were improper accusations,” Snook told the group.

County Judge Betty Shiflett, saying she had complete confidence in the county’s election process, applauded the manner in which the judges conducted the election. “You have done a due-diligence job, and I’m proud of the way you’ve done it. I’m happy we came together, and very confident we’ve come up with the answers to all the questions people had. We’re not afraid to address things that are challenged.”

A Nov. 19 letter from Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Secretary of State Hope Andrade also commended Grimes County’s election administrator for “the integral role you played in running a fair, credible election this November.”

Following the discussions, county commissioners Pam Finke, Julian Melchor and John Bertling agreed that the role of the county elections administration office should be left as it is, although there was no provision for a vote on the matter.

“I was against it at first, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” opined Bertling.

Commissioner Bill Pendley was unable to attend the meeting.

Published on Wednesday, October 17, 2008