Hospital District Candidate Business Name On Ballot Draws Complaints In Maverick County
Voters and candidates in the Maverick County Hospital District board race object to a ballot listing that includes a candidate’s clinic name.
EAGLE PASS, Texas – Voters and candidates in the Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors race told The Maverick Times they object to the way one candidate’s name appears on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The sample ballot lists the candidate as “Eliezer Hernandez Yeled Shalom P Clinic.” Yeled Shalom Pediatric Clinic is the Eagle Pass pediatric practice where Dr. Eliézer Hernández works, according to the clinic’s website. His campaign signs read “Dr. Eliézer Hernández for Maverick County Hospital District Board,” without the clinic name.
Critics who spoke with The Maverick Times said they do not believe a candidate’s business name belongs on the ballot. They said they could not recall anything similar in a recent local election and questioned why the name was registered that way.
Complaints submitted to state agencies
Multiple complaints about the ballot listing have been submitted to the Texas Ethics Commission and the Texas Secretary of State, The Maverick Times has learned. The Maverick Times understands the Secretary of State’s office reviewed the matter as a concern at one point. The outcome of any review, and whether one is still open, could not be confirmed.
A complaint is an allegation, not a finding. No state agency has publicly said the ballot listing breaks any rule.
What the Texas Election Code says about names on the ballot
Under Section 52.003 of the Texas Election Code, a candidate’s name is placed on the ballot in the form shown on the candidate’s application for a place on the ballot.
Section 52.031 sets the form of the name. It calls for a given name or initials, an optional nickname, and the surname. A nickname may be only one unhyphenated word of no more than 10 letters that the candidate has been commonly known by for at least three years. A nickname that is a slogan or shows a political, economic, social or religious view or affiliation may not be used, and the candidate must file an affidavit supporting any nickname.
Section 52.033 says that, except as allowed in that part of the code, a title or designation of office, status or position may not be used with a candidate’s name on the ballot. Section 52.032 allows a short description of up to four words, such as a profession, only when two or more candidates for the same office have the same or similar surnames.
Two candidates in this race share the surname Hernandez. Whether that provision applies here, and how the listing was approved, are questions for election officials and the state. The Maverick Times has not seen the candidate’s ballot application.
Among the other candidates in the race are a PhD holder, a registered nurse and a certified public accountant. None of them included a professional designation in their ballot listing, while Dr. Hernandez’s listing includes the full name of his private medical practice.
Similar opposing candidate names appeared on the ballot – neither put their business name on the ballot
Kyle Hawkins (REP) and Kristen Hawkins (DEM) have similar names on the ballot. Same last name and both first names start with a K, in the race for Justice Supreme Court Place 7. Neither candidate registered their names with their personal business or professional designation on their names in the ballot.
Who is on the ballot
Voters may choose none, one or two candidates for the Board of Directors. The candidates are Erika Diaz, Stephany Valdez, Guillermo Hernandez, Eliezer Hernandez, Jesus Casas and Judy Canales.
Early voting runs through Oct. 30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Read our earlier coverage: Maverick County Early Voting Tops 3600 After First Week
The Maverick Times reached out to Dr. Hernandez for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
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