what role does the texas attorney general play in elections

by Summer Kozey 3 min read

What is the role of the Texas Attorney General?

The Office of the Attorney General has statewide investigation authority and concurrent prosecution authority with local elected prosecutors over the election laws of the State. The OAG has deep experience and specialized resources to help train or assist local law enforcement and prosecution in working up complex and challenging election fraud cases.

What powers does the Office of the Attorney General have?

Dec 13, 2021 · The attorney general is an executive office that serves as the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement officer for the state government and is empowered to prosecute violations of state law, represent the state in legal disputes and issue legal advice to state agencies and the legislature.

Who are the Texas Democratic presidential candidates for Attorney General?

Attorney General Ken Paxton is the lawyer for the State of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to: To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by …

Who is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton?

State attorneys general have always played a lead role in their state election processes. They serve as counsel to state election boards and as each …

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What is an election clerk?

Election clerks are trained, under current law, not to question whether the voter is qualified for assistance or has requested the "assistant" to help them. Votes are then secured for the candidates of the assistant’s choice.

What is the importance of secure elections?

Secure elections are the cornerstone of a thriving republic. The legislature made significant improvements in the laws governing state election integrity in 2017 which has contributed to a steady increase in the number of voter fraud referrals. A key priority of the Attorney General is to investigate and prosecute the increasing allegations ...

What does the OAG do?

The OAG responds to the complaints it receives, which are normally vetted by the Secretary of State, and determines whether an offense occurred, and whether , based on the strength of the evidence, the case may be prosecuted successfully .

What is a diversion program?

A prosecution may also be resolved by a diversion program, which is a contractual agreement with a prosecutor, wherein a perpetrator of an election offense typically admits to committing an election offense, receives education regarding the law, and agrees to comply with the law going forward.

What is the Attorney General of Texas?

14 Footnotes. The Attorney General of Texas is the chief lawyer and legal officer for the state of Texas. According to the Texas Constitution, the attorney general defends the laws and the constitution of the state of Texas, represents the state in litigation, and approves public bond issues.

Who won the 2010 Texas election?

To view the electoral history dating back to 2002 for the office of Texas Attorney General, Click to expand the section. On November 2, 2010, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.

Who did Greg Abbott defeat?

He defeated Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election. Election results via Texas Secretary of State. On November 7, 2006, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated David Van Os (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.

Who is the attorney general of Texas?

Heading into the 2018 election, the attorney general of Texas was Ken Paxton (R), who was first elected in 2014. Paxton announced on April 21, 2016, that he planned on running for re-election in 2018. In 2018, Texas was under a Republican trifecta.

What percentage of the vote did Trump get in 2016?

2.25%. In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Texas with 52.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Texas cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 66.7 percent of the time.

Is Texas a Republican state?

In 2018, Texas was under a Republican trifecta. It had held this status since Republicans gained a majority in the Texas House of Representatives in 2003. Texas was also a Republican triplex. Texas was won by the Republican candidate in each of the presidential elections between 2000 and 2016.

When does a campaign treasurer appointment take effect?

This means that if the appointment is hand-delivered to the filing authority, it takes effect on the date of delivery. If the appointment is mailed, it takes effect on the date of the postmark.

What is the Texas campaign finance code?

This guide is a summary of the campaign finance regulations applicable to political committees. These regulations are set out in Title 15 of the Texas Election Code (Chs. 251 - 259) and in the rules adopted by the Texas Ethics Commission.

What is the appropriate filing authority for a political committee that supports or opposes a measure, other than

The appropriate filing authority for a political committee that supports or opposes a measure, other than a school district bond measure, depends on who will vote on the measure. The filing requirements for a specific-purpose political committee that is involved in a school district bond measure are addressed in the previous section in this guide

Do political committees have to file monthly?

Unlike general-purpose political committees, specific-purpose political committees do not have the option of selecting monthly filing. Some specific-purpose committees do have the option of selecting modified reporting. See " Modified Reporting Schedule " in this guide.

Why should a political committee consider its choice of a campaign treasurer carefully?

A political committee should consider its choice of a campaign treasurer carefully because the treasurer is responsible for fulfilling the duties described in the following section. The committee should also be sure that the treasurer is aware that he or she may be subject to fines or criminal penalties for failure to fulfill those duties.

What are the new itemization thresholds for campaign finance?

Starting January 1, 2020, new itemization thresholds apply to all campaign finance reports. These changes mean that the dollar thresholds for itemizing contributions, expenditures, and other activities in a report are now higher. For example, the requirement to itemize a political contribution has increased from $50 to $90, and only political contributions that exceed $90 must be itemized when accepted on or after January 1, 2020. The higher itemization thresholds have been updated on the paper forms and in these instructions. For a full list of the changes, please go to new Texas Ethics Commission Rules § 18.31 on our website: https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/rules/adopted/2016-2020/adopted_Mar_2019.php.

How long does a campaign treasurer have to keep records?

The campaign treasurer of a political committee must maintain records of all the information necessary to file the committee's reports of contributions and expenditures. The campaign treasurer must maintain the records for two years after the deadline for the report.

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Current Officeholder

  • The Office of Attorney General is committed to performing its duties with excellence, serving Texas with humility and integrity, and exploring innovative solutions in accomplishing the work of the agency.
See more on texasattorneygeneral.gov

Qualifications

Vacancies

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The current officeholder is Republican Ken Paxton. He was first elected attorney general in November 2014, and took office on January 5, 2015.
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Elections

  • According to the Texas Secretary of State, state law says that no person shall be eligible for to run for the office of attorney general unless they are: 1. at least 18 years of age 2. a citizen of the United States 3. a resident of Texas for at least 12 months
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Divisions

  • Article 4, Section 12 (a) of the Texas Constitutionstates: "All vacancies in State or district offices, except members of the Legislature, shall be filled unless otherwise provided by law by appointment of the Governor."
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Historical Officeholders

  • Article 4, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution states: "All the above officers of the Executive Department (except Secretary of State) shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the time and places of election for members of the Legislature." The attorney general is elected to serve for a four-year term. There is no term limitfor this office.
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Recent News

  • As of January 11, 2021, divisions within the Attorney General's Office included: 1. General Counsel 2. Opinion Committee 3. Solicitor General 4. Open Records 5. Civil Litigation 6. Child Support 7. Criminal Justice 8. Law Enforcement 9. Crime Victim Services and Victims Assistance Grants 10. Colonias 11. Administrative Functions
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