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Alan Vera, a prominent advocate against voter fraud within the Republican Party, passed away on Thursday at the Texas Capitol. The tragic incident occurred just as he was preparing to provide his testimony on election legislation. At the age of 75, Vera’s contributions to the political landscape are deeply missed.
During a Texas House Elections Committee meeting on Thursday morning, a surprising announcement interrupted the proceedings. The committee was listening to public testimony on several bills aimed at increasing state oversight of elections when Harris County Republican Party Chair Cindy Siegel, standing at the podium, appeared flustered and offered her apologies. In a shaky voice, Siegel explained that she had just received news about Alan, causing her distress.
Committee Chair Reggie Smith, a Republican, asked for a moment of silence for “our friend Alan.”
Vera, a prominent Texas voting policy influencer, played a significant role in the establishment of Houston-based True the Vote, a conservative nonprofit organization dedicated to combating voter fraud. Additionally, he has served as the Harris County GOP ballot-security chair since 2014. Highly regarded within Republican circles, Vera is often summoned as a witness to provide testimony on matters pertaining to election-related legislation.
Throughout this legislative session, Vera has made regular appearances at the Texas Capitol to provide testimony on election legislation. Merely two weeks ago, during a House Election Committee hearing, legislators surprised Vera by singing “Happy Birthday” while he stood at the podium. To commemorate the occasion, they presented him with a cookie adorned with a lit candle.
In a statement, Siegel expressed, “We have suffered a great loss with the passing of Alan. His life was defined by his unwavering commitment to selfless service, evident from his military service and tireless efforts in supporting Republican candidates and safeguarding the integrity of elections through education and advocacy.”
In the Texas Capitol, he consistently arrived before anyone else and stayed till the end, dedicating numerous hours to testify before the House and Senate, engage with lawmakers, and collaborate with fellow activists, all in pursuit of enacting election integrity laws.
Vera, an Army veteran who was raised in El Paso, had been actively involved in election integrity matters within the Republican Party for over ten years.
Although there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud, Vera told conservative Texas activist and megadonor Steven Hotze in a video last fall that he and his wife, Colleen Vera, became inspired to investigate it after attending a rally in Washington in 2009 organized by conservative TV personality Glenn Beck.
“In the video, Alan Vera expressed, ‘Everything that unfolded was solely the work of God. Our team ventured out as poll watchers across Harris County with the sole purpose of witnessing the events. However, the shocking instances we witnessed left us feeling a deep sense of unease. The sheer audacity of the fraudulence and complete disregard for ethical principles and laws ignited a fervent passion within us.'”
Vera and Catherine Engelbrecht founded True the Vote in 2010 and trained hundreds of poll watchers before he left the group to volunteer for the Harris County Republican Party. Vera was also known for frequently challenging the legitimacy of registered voters in Harris County. He challenged the voter registration of thousands of voters in 2018 and did so again last year.
He was among a group of Harris County Republican Party leaders who sued Harris County in 2021 over district maps that they argued would favor Democrats. The Texas Supreme Court rejected the challenge.
The Harris County Attorney’s Office announced last summer it was investigating allegations that an election integrity group for which Vera was a board member — the Texas Election Network — had been knocking on doors, verifying voters’ addresses and asking them to sign affidavits.
Vera conducted informational sessions addressing voter fraud prevention to various Tea Party and Republican Party organizations across the state. During these meetings, she also took the opportunity to enlist individuals as poll watchers.
Vera communicated closely with Republican lawmakers, including state Sens. Paul Bettencourt and Bryan Hughes and Rep. Briscoe Cain, and made suggestions to them and their legislative staff as they worked to pass a sweeping 2021 election bill known as Senate Bill 1. Recently, Vera was also involved in drafting proposed legislation for Hughes that would require the state to withdraw from a multistate coalition that helps Texas to clean its voter rolls.
Engelbrecht referred to Vera as a “fighter” and someone who is tireless on Thursday.
Engelbrecht expressed her admiration for her long-time friend, emphasizing his unwavering dedication to protecting voters’ rights amidst various obstacles. She highlighted his actions, rather than mere words, as he selflessly served the cause year after year. Engelbrecht commended both him and his remarkable wife, Colleen, for exemplifying true servant leadership. She concluded by expressing her pride in having the opportunity to work alongside him.
Votebeat editorial director Jessica Huseman contributed to this story.
Natalia Contreras is a reporter for Votebeat and covers election administration and voting access in partnership with The Texas Tribune. Contact Natalia at [email protected].
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