The Texas Attorney General’s office, led by Ken Paxton, announced on Wednesday that a Democratic judge and five others are facing charges related to election crimes. Judge Rochelle Rozano Camacho, who holds a position in Julio County, is among those charged.
According to a press release, Camacho is facing three counts of vote harvesting related to the 2022 primary election. Other individuals charged include the sister of a county trustee, election administrators, two city council members from Pearsall, Texas, and another woman.
The situation escalated when a complaint was brought forward by Mary Moore, who claims that Camacho hired longtime Democrats to assist with mail-in voting and even to transport voters to polling places. Reports suggest that payments ranged between $1,500 and $2,500.
It seems Camacho had a specific focus on senior voters in her area. Allegedly, one of her accomplices attempted to conceal ballots by hiding them under her clothing to evade detection. This practice raises concerns, especially given the ongoing discussions about election integrity.
Camacho’s campaign had messages promoting “Unification, Movement and Progress” in the county, which included warnings about mail-in and early voting during the 2022 election cycle. She narrowly secured a victory over Moore by just 157 votes, with the validity of up to 72 of those votes now in question.
Vote harvesting, which involves collecting and submitting completed absentee ballots by individuals other than the voters themselves, is illegal in several states, including Texas.
While Paxton is preparing for a primary challenge in 2026, he emphasized his commitment to holding corrupt officials accountable. “They think they can fool the system to keep their power. We will make sure they face the consequences,” he stated.
Additionally, charges were brought against four individuals for voting in 2020, including a county commissioner. All suspects except Judge Camacho were arrested on May 2, with plans for her processing at a later date.
In Texas, vote harvesting can be classified as a third-degree felony, which carries severe penalties, including a potential 10-year prison sentence and fines reaching $10,000.
