By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
The Republican Party’s nominee for Val Verde County Attorney has disqualified himself from the November General Election ballot by voting in the Democratic Party Primary on March 5, a party official has confirmed.
Del Rio attorney Jacques De La Mota, the sole Republican Party candidate for the county attorney office, voted in person at the Precinct 1 polling location at the Joe Ramos Facility in the Democratic Party Primary Election on Election Day, a fact confirmed to the 830 Times today by Val Verde County Republican Party Chair Sharon Pettit.
Pettit spoke to the 830 Times about the issue this morning.
After confirming De La Mota had disqualified himself by voting in the Democratic Party Primary Election, Pettit said she has spoken with De La Mota about the issue.
“Yes, I notified him yesterday (Monday). I tried calling him over the weekend, but we couldn’t make a connection, so I texted him yesterday and informed him the Republican Party of Texas had informed me that he had disqualified himself, that he was ineligible, due to (a provision in) the Texas Election Code,” Pettit said.
According to provisions of the Texas Election Code, De La Mota in now ineligible from appearing on the November General Election ballot.
Section 162.015 of the election code labeled “Restrictions on Candidacy in General Election by Candidate or Voter in Primary,” reads, “A person who voted at a primary election or who was a candidate for nomination in a primary is ineligible for a place on the ballot for the succeeding general election for state and county offices as: . . . (2) the nominee of a political party other than the party holding the primary in which the person voted or was a candidate.”
Pettit said today state Republican Party officials called her about the incident.
“I had heard rumors, then I went and actually checked on the Secretary of State’s web site, where she lists all of the voters who have cast ballots and on what day, so yes, I found it that way,” Pettit said.
“It’s very unfortunate, but yes, the Republican Party of Texas has confirmed to me that he is ineligible. It’s my understanding that he will not be on the ballot (in November). He basically made himself ineligible,” she added.
The 830 Times called and texted De La Mota this morning to give him the opportunity to make a statement about the issue.
He texted back, “No comment.”
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
