Craddick appoints panel to investigate contested elections
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06:22 PM CST on Monday, December 6, 2004
Associated Press
A nine-member panel of Republicans and Democrats has been appointed today to review three contested Texas House races.
The Select Committee on Election Contests will investigate three November second elections that resulted in wins for Democrats.
-- Houston Democrat Hubert Vo appeared to beat veteran GOP Representative Talmadge Heflin of Houston by 33 votes. Heflin is contesting the results.
-- Republican Representative Jack Stick is contesting his loss to Austin Democrat Mark Strama by 569 votes.
-- Another challenge comes from Eric Opiela, who's a defeated Republican legislative candidate from Karnes City.
Democrat Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles of Alice beat Opiela by 835 votes.
The House can either declare a winner in the elections or declare the election void and order a new one -- which is rare.
Here are the members:
-- Republican Speaker Tom Craddick named Republican Terry Keel of Austin as chairman, with Democrat Craig Eiland of Galveston serving as vice chairman.
Other members are Republicans Mary Denny of Aubrey, Suzanna Gratia Hupp of Lampasas, Phil King of Weatherford and Larry Phillips of Sherman, and Democrats Helen Giddings of Dallas, Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City and Alan Ritter of Nederland.