A Tarrant County poll worker was dismissed Monday for handing out fliers promoting certain local candidates while processing voters at a polling place in Mansfield.
Electioneering inside the polls is illegal.
The county’s elections administrator, Heider Garcia, confirmed a poll worker in charge of an early voting location for the May 1 local elections was replaced after a voter reported the clerk was distributing political literature to voters inside the polls.
The literature was produced by a group called Mansfield Together, described on the flyer as “where Conservatives and Progressives meet to achieve common goals.”
The flyer pictured eight selected candidates for various Mansfield city council and school board positions, as well as a Tarrant County College seat, and said Mansfield residents “would be well served” by voting for any of the listed candidates.
The back of the flyer contained information about early voting locations in Mansfield. Small parts of the city extend into Ellis and Johnson counties.
Garcia said it appeared to be an honest mistake by an experienced poll worker, but added that infractions can’t be tolerated whether made by intent or mistake, so his office took immediate action to remove the clerk.
Texas Election Code makes distributing political literature within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place a Class C misdemeanor—something poll workers are trained to know.
Election integrity is a top priority for lawmakers this legislative session, with a number of bills focused on helping volunteer poll watchers effectively observe whether election workers are following the law.
Early voting runs through Tuesday in the May 1 local elections.
Texans interested in serving as poll workers can contact their county elections office for more information.
