Mike May’s election contest dismissed after he fails to pay fee

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A dropping Republican candidate’s case to overturn his November 2022 election outcomes was dismissed this week by one of many state’s high legislative leaders.

Republican Mike May had filed what’s often called an election contest with the Texas secretary of state’s workplace in early December, asking the Legislature to void the outcomes of the midterm election and order a brand new one. Texas’ election regulation permits any candidate to contest the outcomes.

May, who ran to signify House District 135 within the Houston space, misplaced his bid to Democratic incumbent Jon Rosenthal by greater than 6,000 votes. May argued in his petition that the outcomes of the election weren’t the “true outcome” due to paper poll shortages at some polling locations in Houston on Election Day.

House Speaker Dade Phelan this week dismissed May’s case, citing May’s failure to adjust to procedural guidelines specified by the election regulation. In a Jan. 9 letter addressed to May and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Phelan stated the election contest was dismissed as a result of May had not submitted the “security of costs” fee to the House of Representatives on time.

May couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

Rosenthal stated he felt that May’s problem was “without merit” and that he was happy with the dismissal.

“For a challenge to be sustained, you have to demonstrate that a specific number of voters who would have voted for you were disenfranchised,” Rosenthal stated. “This challenge had no claims like that.”

May was certainly one of greater than 20 dropping Republican candidates in Harris County who filed election contests, citing stories of Election Day points. According to the county’s recent post-election evaluation, some November polling websites opened late and ran out of paper, points that dropping candidates argue prevented folks from voting on Election Day. The report stated the county investigation “has not yet revealed” whether or not any voters had been turned away.

Unlike May’s problem, the opposite contests largely got here from candidates who ran for judicial places of work, together with Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer, who ran to be county decide of Texas’ most populous county however misplaced to incumbent Lina Hidalgo.

Those contests are all being dealt with by a district courtroom, not by the Legislature. The circumstances are anticipated to proceed over the following few months, in accordance to Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.

In a Wednesday assertion, Menefee applauded the Legislature for dismissing May’s contest.

“This quick dismissal shows these election contests are largely about political posturing and undermining our democratic processes,” Menefee stated. “I thank Speaker Phelan and Representative Morgan Meyer for upholding the law and ensuring the will of the voters stands.”

Harris County Democratic Party Chair Odus Evbagharu stated in a statement that the election contests are a part of an effort to “fuel election denialism” and he hopes the remaining contests are dismissed.

“This feeble attempt to grasp at straws has become a sad tradition for Republican candidates,” Evbagharu stated. “I’m happy that Representative Rosenthal can now spend his time this session focusing on passing legislation that will improve the lives of the residents of House District 135.”

Disclosure: Texas Secretary of State has been a monetary supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Financial supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Find an entire list of them here.