Texas election clerk assaulted during early voting

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A San Antonio election clerk was allegedly assaulted Thursday night and the suspect, a voter, was arrested, officials said.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of injury to an elderly person, a felony.

The incident is the first reported case of violence against an election worker this fall. Early voting began Monday in Texas.

According to a sheriff’s report, the suspect, Jesse Lutzenberger, 63, entered the polling station on San Antonio’s west side wearing a Make America Great Again hat in support of former President Donald Trump, who is considered election and against Texas law. The employer, 69, asked Lutzenberger to remove his hat, which he did, officials said. Lutzenberger continued to cast his vote.

While still inside the polling station, Lutzenberger put his hat back on as he headed for the door. The employer approached the man to tell him it was unacceptable and then began to escort the man as they approached the doors of the venue.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said surveillance video showed Lutzenberger “throw an arm back at the victim.” “

The victim appeared to be walking away from the suspect. At that point, the suspect turned around and threw several punches directly in the face of the victim,” Salazar said.

Salazar urged residents to remain calm while voting.

“Nothing is worth going to jail for,” Salzar said.

Emergency medical personnel responded to the incident and treated the poll worker. His injuries were not life-threatening, Salazar said. Bexar County sheriff’s deputies said they were able to find Lutzenberger at a residence, where Lutzenberger himself said “I’m the person you’re looking for.”

Lutzenberger was booked into the Bexar County Jail and was released Friday on $30,000 bond. He faces a third-degree felony charge.

This week, deputies had to respond to calls of people wearing clothing supporting political candidates at the polling station, Salazar said, though none of the others resulted in violence or arrests. Voters are not allowed to wear any type of clothing that shows support for a political candidate or measure within 100 meters of a polling place.

Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen said in a statement that she wants Bexar County voters to “remain calm and realize that more than 200,000 early voters cast their ballots last week, and most of the experiences were positive.” Callanen said.

Election officials have been preparing to respond to violence at the polls for some time. These efforts have become a priority amid a contentious presidential election year.

This summer, during its annual statewide training for election officials, the Texas Secretary of State’s office emphasized safety and emergency preparedness.

The agency’s elections division presented table-top exercises and workshops on de-escalation, incident response and emergency preparedness.

Counties across the state, including Bexar, Dallas and Harris, have an emergency and incident plan and have made it part of election worker training.

A May survey of election administrators by the Brennan Center found that 40 percent of respondents had taken steps to increase the physical security of election offices and polling places beginning in 2020, and 38 percent reported experiencing harassment or abuse . Across the country, election offices are doing things like investing in “panic buttons” and training election workers in de-escalation techniques as a result.

Natalia Contreras covers election administration and voting access for Votebeat in partnership with the Texas Tribune. Contact Natalia at [email protected]

Disclosure: The Texas Secretary of State has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial backers play no role in Tribune journalism. Find a complete their list here.