The Texas Attorney General's Office filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Harris County clerk and the clerk's office communications director. The state says the county is violating the Texas Constitution by aiming voter awareness ads at certain racial and ethnic groups.
According to the lawsuit, the Harris County Elections Department has run Facebook and Instagram ads urging residents to "Plan. Check. Vote!" before the Nov. 3 general election. The state says the ads target African American, Asian and Latino audiences through interests such as "African-American history," "Hispanic kitchen" and "Latin dance." The filing estimates the county spent $43,429 on the ads over the past 30 days.
The state is asking a court for a temporary restraining order requiring the county to immediately deactivate the ads or remove the racial and ethnic targeting. It also seeks temporary and permanent injunctions against similar advertising. The attorney general's office said Attorney General Ken Paxton recused himself because he is a candidate in the Nov. 3 midterm election. FOX 26 has asked the Harris County Clerk's Office for a response.