Texas Supreme Court dismisses former City Council candidate’s request for new election

The Texas Supreme Court rejected a long-shot request to give former Dallas City Council candidate Donald Parish Jr. a chance at a new election.

Parish, a pastor, came in third in last month’s election to represent South Dallas’ District 7, short by just 28 votes to advance to the runoff election, in which the candidate in second place, Kevin Felder, lost to incumbent Adam Bazaldua.

In a complaint filed May 21, Parish claimed irregularities with voting locations made the race void.

On Friday, the Supreme Court denied a petition by Parish for a new election and did not offer an opinion.

Parish’s complaint argues the race’s tight election results made the problems reported at several polling places significant. Nine polling sites, many of which were in South Dallas, had problems ranging from broken voting machines, to workers who couldn’t access buildings or supplies because they didn’t have keys, to too few electrical outlets or extension cords for voting machines. Some voters were turned away.

Last month, Michael Scarpello, Dallas County’s elections administrator, told Dallas City Council members the issues delayed the sites’ 7 a.m. opening time anywhere from about an hour to four. Northwood Hills Elementary School in North Dallas’ District 11 was the last to open at 11:15 a.m. because an election worker couldn’t find keys.

Bazaldua said in May that residents reported being told by poll workers that they had to vote at specific sites, even though residents could vote at any of the voting centers in the county. One resident told The Dallas Morning News he did not try and vote at another location after being turned away.

“We will continue to litigate the election contest, which is a statutory remedy provided to my client under the Texas election code, and he has performed all required steps to access that remedy,” Elizabeth Alvarez, who is representing Parish, said following the denial.

Parish did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

According to the complaint, there is evidence that some voting machines were turned off, some legal ballots were excluded and illegal ballots were included.