Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the indictment of six individuals—including five public officials—in connection with an alleged ballot harvesting operation in Frio County, a rural area southwest of San Antonio. The charges stem from a broader, long-running investigation into election integrity led by Paxton’s office, which has prioritized prosecuting what it describes as systemic abuses of the electoral process.
According to Paxton’s statement, those indicted include Rochelle Camacho, the sitting Frio County judge; a former county elections administrator; two members of the Pearsall City Council; a school board member; and one alleged vote harvester. Five of the six were arrested on May 2, with Judge Camacho expected to be processed at a later time.
“The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system,” said Paxton. “Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
The indictments were filed under Senate Bill 1, a 2021 Texas law that makes it a third-degree felony to knowingly provide or offer “vote harvesting services” in return for payment. The law specifically targets organized efforts to collect and return ballots on behalf of voters—a practice that federal law allows but which many states have restricted. Texas’ version of the law carries serious penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Although a federal court ruling last year questioned the constitutionality of some aspects of the law and briefly halted certain investigations, Paxton appealed the decision, enabling the state to continue pursuing cases under the contested statute.
Critics of the investigation, including former Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa, have called it politically motivated and racially targeted. They argue the enforcement efforts disproportionately focus on predominantly Latino and Democratic regions, such as Frio County and other areas along the Rio Grande Valley. Frio County itself has a population of roughly 18,000 and has historically leaned Democratic in local elections.
This case is one of the most high-profile examples yet of Texas’ strict enforcement of its new election laws. Paxton’s office has indicated that further investigations remain ongoing as part of the state’s continued efforts to ensure what it calls “election integrity.”
This story is developing and may be updated as more details emerge.
