Hidalgo County could fire elections head; dissolve the position

EDINBURG - Hidalgo County's top elections official could lose her job Tuesday now that she faces several felony charges stemming from red flags raised within her department.

An Hidalgo County grand jury indicted Teresa Navarro last week on five felony counts, including theft by a public servant, engaging in organized criminal activity and tampering with government records, in connection with an investigation into bookkeeping irregularities at the Hidalgo County Elections Department.

Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas said the Commissioners Court will have the option to fire her during its next meeting Tuesday but added in a voice-mail message to The Monitor that he didn't know what action, if any, the panel would take.

The Commissioners Court could decide to discuss the matter but take no action - just as it did in April before Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño's three-month investigation was completed.

"Now we are talking about an indictment," said Hidalgo County Precinct 2 Commissioner Hector "Tito" Palacios. "I think the court will act. A decision will be made."

The three other commissioners either declined to comment until after the meeting or did not return messages.

The Commissioners Court faced the same agenda item on April 22 just hours after the Hidalgo County Election Commission - a body that oversees the fairness of elections but not the day-to-day operations of the department - unanimously voted to fire Navarro based on the same audit report that prompted the criminal investigation.

County commissioners declined to vote on her dismissal for fear that she could sue if no criminal charges were filed against her.

State law stipulates an elections administrator can only be removed on at least a four-fifths recommendation of the elections commission and a majority vote by the Commissioners Court.

The embattled Navarro, 48, was formally indicted June 3 and could yet face additional charges, according to Sheriff Treviño.

County officials, meanwhile, have discussed doing away with the elections administrator position altogether.

State law allows the Commissioners Court to dissolve the position and revert back to the previous way of handling the elections department through the offices of the county's clerk and tax assessor-collector.

That move would also entail eliminating the election commission, but there is no clear indication whether the Commissioners Court would exercise this option.