Heider Garcia stepped down as county elections administrator. So, what was his job?
Heider Garcia’s time as Tarrant County elections administrator came to an end after he submitted a letter of resignation dated April 16 to the County Judge Tim O’Hare.
In his letter, Garcia wrote he is leaving after a recent meeting with O’Hare and determining that he has different ideas on what transparency in elections mean.
In the section of the letter addressed to O’Hare, Garcia wrote that his “formula to ‘administer a quality transparent election’ stands on respect and zero politics” and that compromising on those values wasn’t an option for him. “You made it clear in our last meeting that your formula is different, thus, my decision to leave,” he wrote. “I wish you the best; Tarrant County deserves that you find success.”
Garcia wrote that his last day will be June 23 to allow his staff to complete duties surrounding upcoming municipal elections and potential runoffs.
In the five years that Garcia served as elections administrator, he received death threats despite his work in ensuring election transparency.
Are county elections administrators elected or appointed?
County elections administrators in Texas are appointed by the county election commission, and to be considered, appointees must be qualified to vote in the state, according to the Texas Election Code.
The county election commission consists of:
The county judge, as chair
The county clerk, as vice chair
The county tax assessor-collector, as secretary
The county chairs of each political party that made nominations in the general elections preceding the date of appointment.
A majority vote by the commission is needed to confirm the appointment. A written resolution or order must be signed by the commission members within three days of the appointment.
The code also specifies that the elections administrator:
May not be a candidate for public office or an office in a political party, or hold public office or a position in a political party.
Cannot contribute to a political candidate or political cause, or publicly support or oppose a candidate or cause.
What happens when an elections administrator in Texas resigns?
When an elections administrator resigns, the election commission receives the notice from the official. The election commission has the authority to suspend or terminate the employment of the elections administrator, “for good and sufficient cause on the four-fifths vote of the county election commission and approval of that action by a majority vote of the commissioners court.”
To fill the elections administrator vacancy, the elections commission can make an appointment any time after the resignation or termination is official.
In Texas, what does the elections administrator do by law?
These are the duties performed by the elections administrators in Texas as prescribed by the Texas Election Code.
The administrator is the voter registrar for the county.
Will assist the county clerk by providing election data
File a copy of all commissioners court orders the clerk provides
Provides clerical assistance to the commissioners court during elections, keeping the court’s official file of election returns
When an election is called, the administrator is tasked with “filing the petition, determining its validity, and any other matters preceding the ordering of the election.”
