Some voters and candidates in the Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors race say they object to how one candidate's name appears on the Nov. 3 ballot. The sample ballot lists the candidate as "Eliezer Hernandez Yeled Shalom P Clinic." According to the clinic's website, Yeled Shalom Pediatric Clinic is an Eagle Pass pediatric practice where Dr. Eliézer Hernández works. His campaign signs read "Dr. Eliézer Hernández for Maverick County Hospital District Board" and do not include the clinic name.
Critics who spoke with reporters said they do not believe a candidate's business name belongs on the ballot. They said they could not recall a similar listing in a recent local election and questioned why the name was registered that way. Multiple complaints about the listing have been submitted to the Texas Ethics Commission and the Texas Secretary of State, according to reporting by the newspaper. The Secretary of State's office reviewed the matter as a concern at one point, but the outcome of any review could not be confirmed, and it could not be confirmed whether a review is still open.
Under Section 52.003 of the Texas Election Code, a candidate's name is placed on the ballot in the form shown on the candidate's application for a place on the ballot. Section 52.031 sets the form of the name, calling for a given name or initials, an optional nickname and the surname. No state agency has publicly said the listing breaks any rule. A complaint is an allegation, not a finding.