The Texas Election Integrity Unit has announced the arrest and indictment of six individuals in connection with an illegal vote-harvesting case in Frio County.
According to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the Election Integrity Unit (EIU) investigated allegations of unlawful vote harvesting in Frio County, Texas. The investigation revealed a coordinated scheme involving elected officials. The arrests included Pearsall City Council members, a county judge, and campaign operatives allegedly collecting and returning ballots based on voter choice. The EIU said that the operation exposed "flagrant abuse" of the mail-in ballot process, emphasizing the importance of enforcing voter integrity laws statewide.
The investigation led to criminal charges against six individuals, including Frio County Judge Rochelle Garza Camacho, for alleged involvement in illegal ballot harvesting during local elections. According to the Texas Attorney General’s press release, defendants reportedly offered items such as sodas and gas in exchange for completed ballots. The indictments cite violations including unlawful assistance of a voter, tampering with government records, and election fraud-related activities.
As reported by The Texas Tribune, the voter fraud crackdown followed the enactment of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which established stricter limitations on voting procedures, including a ban on paid ballot collection. The law, signed in 2021, was criticized by Democratic lawmakers but has since become central to the state’s election enforcement strategy. The Frio County case marks one of the highest-profile applications of SB 1’s voter fraud provisions and has been cited as a validation of the law’s intent by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
According to the Texas Attorney General’s website, the Election Integrity Unit was created in 2021 to support election law enforcement across Texas through investigative and legal expertise. It collaborates with local authorities, law enforcement, and auditors to respond to credible election fraud complaints. The unit's formation followed heightened public concern about election security and has since played a key role in prosecuting violations under Texas law.
