Following Florida’s lead, Texas has introduced a new way for citizens to report suspected voter fraud, though unlike Florida’s toll-free hotline, Texas has opted for an email-based system.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged the public to report any potential violations of the state’s election laws via the email tipline: illegalvoting@oag.texas.gov.
Ahead of the upcoming November election, Paxton issued an advisory encouraging Texans to “protect your vote” as part of his office’s election integrity initiative. This initiative aims to use the Office of the Attorney General’s law enforcement powers to ensure the security of every legal vote. Paxton echoed concerns raised by other Republican attorneys general, citing Texas' growing noncitizen population and allegations of partisan efforts to manipulate voter registration and the election process as significant risks to the integrity of state and federal elections.
The advisory highlighted key aspects of Texas election law, reminding citizens and government officials of their responsibilities in registering to vote and following legal procedures. Violating the Texas Election Code could result in penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines as high as $10,000.
“There is nothing more important than the integrity of our elections,” Paxton stated. “Protecting every legal vote from unlawful attempts to alter the outcome of our elections. Any attempt to illegally cancel out legal ballots with fraud, voter harvesting, or other methods will be met with the full force of the law.”
The advisory also clarified that only U.S. citizens and Texas residents can legally vote. It outlined the legal definition of citizenship, stressing that residency in the U.S., lawful presence, or having work authorization does not equate to citizenship. Voting as a noncitizen or helping a noncitizen vote is a crime punishable by decades in prison and thousands in fines.
Vote harvesting and misrepresenting residency for the purpose of influencing election outcomes were also addressed in the advisory, which clarified that influencing a disabled voter’s choice or using public resources to endorse candidates is illegal. Earlier this year, Paxton’s office sued several school districts for allegedly using public resources to support or oppose candidates based on their stance on school choice.
The advisory follows similar actions by Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, who issued warnings to counties about noncitizens voting. Her office also announced plans to oversee election processes in Harris County, citing irregularities in the previous two election cycles.
Governor Greg Abbott recently reported that more than 1.1 million individuals were removed from Texas’ voter rolls, including 6,500 noncitizens who were illegally registered to vote. Among these, 1,900 had a voting history, and documentation was sent to Paxton’s office for criminal investigation.
Earlier this month, Paxton revealed that his Election Integrity Unit had initiated multiple election fraud investigations, with search warrants issued in Atascosa, Bexar, and Frio counties. An undercover operation was also underway to investigate organizations that might be unlawfully registering noncitizens to vote by setting up booths outside Texas Department of Public Safety Driver License offices.
Paxton urged Texans to report any suspected violations through the new email tipline, emphasizing the importance of secure elections. “Your political liberties and your representation in our government depend on secure elections,” he said. “I will fight every step of the way to protect your vote and your voice.”
Read Paxton’s press release here.
