Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Ellis office has Extensive Communications with voting Organization under Investigation by Paxton office

I filed a Texas Public Information Act request with Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis’s office for all communications between his staff and Jolt—the voter mobilization group currently under criminal investigation by Texas AG Ken Paxton.

The county just informed me it will cost $21,000 to produce the records because there are more than 95,000 pages of emails and messages exchanged in just the last five years.

That’s an average of 52 pages of communication every single day (weekends and holidays included) between one commissioner’s office and a single activist organization now accused of election-related crimes.

Taxpayers deserve to know what was discussed—and it shouldn’t cost twenty-one thousand dollars to find out

Paxton’s Lawsuit (Filed October 2025, Announced November 10, 2025)

Paxton sued Jolt in state court, accusing the group of running a “systematic, unlawful voter registration scheme” that allegedly helps noncitizens register to vote. He claims Jolt volunteers, stationed outside DMV offices, instructed people on submitting applications in ways that violate Texas Election Code (e.g., helping register someone not physically present). Paxton calls Jolt a “radical, partisan operation” and seeks to dissolve its corporate charter, revoke its right to operate in Texas, and recover legal costs.

The case stems from an undercover operation where an investigator posed as a father trying to register an absent “daughter”; a Jolt volunteer reportedly guided him anyway. Paxton frames this as evidence of a broader scheme to “sabotage Texas election integrity.”

Jolt’s Response and Countersuit

Jolt denies any illegal activity, stating it only explains eligibility rules and hands out forms — county officials handle verification. The group notes Texas law allows parents or certain agents to submit applications for others.

Jolt countersued Paxton in federal court, calling the dissolution attempt unconstitutional retaliation for its successful Latino voter registration drives and a prior 2024 lawsuit that blocked Paxton’s investigation into the group. Jolt argues Paxton’s action is part of a pattern of targeting Latino and migrant-aid organizations to suppress young Latino turnout.

If you would like to support my investigation into JOLT please subscribe to my Substack, or you can donate here: https://venmo.com/u/Merissa-Hansen