Free Republic

Secretary of State Connor to resign Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — Secretary of State Geoff Connor, appointed to the position last year, said Friday he will resign from the post at the end of the year. Connor, who oversaw the state's general election, said he wants to return to the private sector. "A record number of Texans got their chance to participate in our democracy by casting their votes in a well-run and efficient election across the state," said Connor. , Texas' 104th secretary of state. "Working with county election offices across the state, we were able to demonstrate that...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Press Release from Secretary of State Geoff Connor Zero Tolerance Policy on Voter Fraud Don't Mess With Texas Voters; Don't Mess With Texas Votes Secretary of State Connor Joins State & Federal Law Enforcement in Election Alert AUSTIN - Secretary of State Geoff Connor announced Friday that his office is joining with the Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas' four U.S. Attorneys in an effort to insure the integrity of Texas balloting by launching a statewide watch for incidents of voter intimidation or voter fraud on Election Day....

Ciro claims narrow win BY TRICIA CORTEZ Times staff writer By an amazing 126-vote margin out of 48,542 total votes cast, Laredoan Henry Cuellar lost his second bid for U.S. Congress to incumbent Ciro Rodriguez (D-San Antonio) in the March 9 primary. Cuellar was running in the Democratic primary against Rodriguez for the 11-county Congressional District 28 seat. "We expected it to be a tight race, but not this tight," Cuellar said early Wednesday afternoon. "This should be a wake-up call to voters who say their vote doesn't count. Yes it does." Cuellar received 24,208 votes, or 49.87 percent of...

Legislators eye juggling primary date Negotiators sweat over map while clock keeps on ticking AUSTIN (AP) — Texas' Republican leaders seem to have no qualms about taking Texas out of the "Super Tuesday" primary next year in order to incorporate still-developing changes in congressional lines onto the ballot. But as options narrow with each tick of the clock, some Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature say they are not convinced that delaying the state's primary is in the best interest of Texas. As Republican House and Senate negotiators continue to toil over a district map that would put more GOP...

Presidential primary at risk in feud AUSTIN (AP) — The state's role in presidential politics could be a casualty of Republican infighting over West Texas boundaries in the effort to redraw congressional districts. Weary and sometimes angry lawmakers seemed to give up Sunday on reaching an agreement on new congressional districts in time to make the changes and still hold the Texas primary March 2. And tension continued to build among legislators Sunday. At one point, an abbreviated House session erupted in a shouting match between House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, and a dozen Democrats trying to force a vote...

Perry's timing of 3rd session saves hassles Thursday, September 11, 2003 Gov. Rick Perry left almost three weeks between the second and third special sessions for two reasons, even though the election clock for 2004 is ticking. First, Perry didn't want to rob attention from the effort to pass Proposition 12 on Saturday's ballot. That's the constitutional amendment to cut back on the noneconomic damages that injured parties can collect in civil lawsuits. By waiting to begin the third session on Monday, Perry and wife Anita were free to campaign for the amendment. Second, Perry wanted to fill various positions,...