BrownwoodNews.com received a press release Friday stating Brown County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Bullard filed a complaint with the Texas Office of the State Commission on Judicial Misconduct over Brown County Judge Shane Britton’s election-related misconduct.

In the complaint, Chairman Bullard alleges that Judge Britton appointed an Election Administrator (EA) without following the proper process to do so. The Election Code requires an EA to be appointed by the county election commission, which is made up of the county judge, the Republican county party chair, the Democratic county party chair, the county clerk, and the county tax assessor. Chairman Bullard alleges in the complaint that he was not contacted in the appointment process.

Chairman Bullard released the following statement after filing the official complaint:

“Judge Britton bypassed the election code – and he did it because he wanted to cynically try to cement Republican power in Brown County. Not only does this appointment degrade Brown County residents’ faith in a fair and impartial election system, it signals to other Republican officials around the state that they can get away with circumventing the Election Code. That’s not how any functioning democracy should work, and we’re going to hold Judge Britton – as we would any other official – accountable.”

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa released the following statement after Chairman Bullard filed the official complaint:

“Texas Democrats will not allow rogue Republican officials to hijack the electoral system – anywhere in the state – by installing administrators of their choice without the legally-required bipartisan checks and balances of a statutory election commission.

“Let this serve as a warning to every Republican elected official: it doesn’t matter how ‘red’ you think your jurisdiction is – Texas Democrats are watching, and we refuse to stand idly by while you bulldoze through the law in order to further your political agendas.”

Reached by BrownwoodNews.com Monday, Britton emailed the following response to the allegation:

“The position of county elections administrator is filled by appointment by the county election commission, which consists of the county judge, as chair; the county clerk, as vice chair; the county tax assessor-collector, as secretary; and the county chair of each political party that made nominations by primary election for the last general election for state and county officers preceding the date of the meeting at which the appointment is made. Upon calling a meeting, the chairman shall set the date, hour, and place for the meeting and shall deliver written notice of the time and place to each other commission member not later than the fourth day before the meeting date. Additionally, the meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act, so notice must be posted at the Courthouse in a public place at least 72 hours before the meeting.

“All members of the commission were provided notice of the meeting at which Mrs. Arp was appointed more than 4 days in advance and notice was posted at the courthouse for more than 72 hours.

“The vote to appoint Mrs. Arp was a unanimous vote of the members present. Since the meeting I have had the chance to meet with the one person who was unable to attend the meeting and he agreed that Mrs. Arp was immensely qualified for the position and indicated that he would have voted for her if he had been present. Her qualifications to perform the job are unimpeachable and the citizens of Brown County are fortunate to have someone of her experience and work ethic in that job.”