Dallas College’s $1B bond can finally move forward, judge rules

A $1 billion bond for Dallas College can now move forward after being held up for more than a year by a lawsuit alleging election misconduct.

On Dec. 30, Judge Charles Stokes ruled in favor of Dallas College denying a request to void the 2019 bond election results.

The voter-approved bond package is expected to fund additional student resources and new facilities, including construction for a downtown technology hub as part of the new El Centro campus.

Chancellor Joe May said the school will accelerate bond plans since it’s been on hold for months pending the civil court’s decision.

“The suit in no way dampened our resolve and commitment to providing the needed resources to ensure that our students are receiving the best possible education that aligns with our rapidly changing economy,” May said in a press release.

Kirk Launius filed the lawsuit shortly after the May 2019 election, alleging wrongdoings by election officials and calling for the results to be thrown out despite the bond package passing with more than 71% of the vote.

Launius alleged that poll watchers were obstructed from viewing election activity and accused election officials of using equipment made vulnerable to hackers and of tampering with the final ballot logs.

Launius claimed election officers or other officials involved in the election engaged in fraud, poll watcher intimidation, and made mistakes during the count.

In the final judgement, Stokes ruled that Launius and his lawyers failed to provide enough evidence to support his challenge of the election results.

Dallas College officials have insisted that the allegations had no merit, claiming that the lawsuit was filed based on unfounded suspicions.

Attorneys for the college argued that Launius and other poll watchers did not have the training needed to understand what they witnessed or what it meant.

Carlos Lopez, an attorney for the college, argued that the poll watchers were appointed by Laura Pressley and that her political action committees, such as “Keep Texas in the Black,” were explicitly against the bond. Lopez called Pressley the “quarterback” of the lawsuit, pointing to e-mails and other evidence showing her involvement in the suit.

Pressley, who was called as an expert witness for Launius, told the court that she was approached by an election security expert to seek a recount. Pressley has previously denied appointing Launius as a poll watcher.

Pressley testified that she formed Keep Texas in the Black to protect the Black vote by ensuring elections are run justly. She also testified that she does not recommend election disputes to everyone, describing the process as gut wrenching and costly from her own personal experience.

Pressley previously sued the Travis County Clerk’s office after losing her bid for a seat on Austin City Council claiming to have found multiple inconsistencies regarding the results of her run-off election.