Many Americans have grown increasingly concerned about election security, with voting machine glitches in Arizona’s Maricopa Count heightening those fears.
Yet voters were turned away from one Houston polling station for an altogether unexpected reason: according to Fox 26, a city employee died near where citizens were supposed to cast their ballots.
Municipal worker fatally electrocuted while attempting to work on floodlight
The local news station reported that a City of Houston Parks and Recreation worker was electrocuted near a polling location at the Melrose Park Community Center, which is located at the intersection of Canino and W. Hardy roads.
Meanwhile, ABC 13 Eyewitness News revealed that the man was in a cherry picker device which was extended towards a floodlight at the time of his death.
Local residents were subsequently instructed by Harris County Elections to vote at the Hardy Street Senior Citizens Center.
UPDATE: Harris County Elections has been forced to close the polling location at Melrose Park Community Center due to issues outside of our control. Voters in the area should vote at Hardy Street Senior Citizens Center (11901 West Hardy Rd.). #HarrisVotes pic.twitter.com/is3BtG0Ay4
— Harris County Elections (@HarrisVotes) November 8, 2022
Fox 26 noted that for his part, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner put out a statement mourning the municipal employee’s death.
“This morning, a city of Houston employee was killed as a result of a tragic work-related incident at Melrose Park, 401 Canino Road, in northeast Houston,” Sylvester’s statement read.
“The Houston Fire Department responded to the scene before noon. The Medical Examiner has been notified,” he continued.
“My prayers are with the employee’s family and co-workers, and I ask all Houstonians to keep them in your prayers,” the mayor concluded.
Greg Abbott defeats Beto O’Rourke in governor’s race
The tragedy did not prevent Harris County from supporting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, who according to Fox News had 53.95% as of early Wednesday morning.
However, the network noted that Texas as a whole favored Republican Greg Abbott by a margin of 54.85% to 43.79%. Abbott improved his showing in heavily Hispanic South and West Texas, where he managed to flip both Zapata and Culberson Counties.