Baytown pressed for answers after voters say city council race didn't appear on ballots

BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- Some Baytown residents are claiming voter suppression after the District 3 city council races did not show up on some Nov. 4 ballots. The issue was brought before the city council on Thursday night as voters demanded answers.

"This is voter suppression. When voters come to vote, they expect to cast their vote for the district and candidate they have chosen. When this is not on the ballot, this is serious," a resident said during city council public comment.

The City of Baytown confirmed that, in at least three instances, the City Council District 3 position did not appear on the ballot.

"I say do not certify the district three election results," resident June Spansky said.

Baytown Mayor Charles Johnson said he's aware of the problem and told the council he spoke to the Harris County Clerk's office the day after the election.

"What I can say from this dias and what was told to me was that whenever someone brought it to their attention, before they cast a ballot, a call was made by the judge at that election post to them, they corrected the ballot and gave them the opportunity to cast that vote," Johnson said.

Johnson says that at least three people notified their polling place about the error, but noted that it's the voter's responsibility for those who did not.

"Once your vote is cast, I'm sorry you have to say something before you cast your vote if you think something is not right, that's how it works," Johnson said.

Baytown spokesperson Jason Calder said one of the three complainants had already voted, but the other two were able to get new ballots.

Calder said he didn't know how many people voted before the error was found or how corrections were made going forward, because that's a question for the Baytown city clerk's office, which closes early on Fridays.

ABC13 reached out to the Harris County Clerk and Elections Office, who directed our questions back to Baytown, stating that each jurisdiction is responsible for approving its own ballots.

"All votes count. How are you going to count the votes in districts where people running for city council weren't on the ballot?" Resident Troy Whiteneck said.

Calder said the clerk's office is conducting a review to determine how the ballot error occurred and that the report is expected to be released in December.

Councilman Ken Griffith won his reelection with 617 ballots cast in his favor, which is 50% of the vote.

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