Canutillo ISD superintendent accuses school board candidates of violating state election law
EL PASO, Texas -- Three school board candidates of the Canutillo Independent School district have been accused of violating state election law by the district's superintendent, El Paso Matters reported.
Superintendent Pedro Galaviz said Canutillo ISD's Board of Trustees candidates Breanne Barnes, Andy Gomez and Salvador Gonzalez have illegally been involved in distributing signs and fliers advocating against a $264.1 million bond proposal for campus renovations and better security.
According to El Paso Matters, Galaviz filed complaints as a private citizen against the three candidates to the Texas Ethics Commission Sunday, as well as former Canutillo Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Perez and Canutillo resident John Joyner.
El Paso Matters reports Galaviz said in the filings the individuals accused were promoting materials that constitute political advertising but were without a political advertising disclosure statement saying who paid for them, in violation of the Texas Election Code.
Several of those accused stated they were not involved in the creation or distribution of such materials.
This year's election is the district's second attempt to pass the bond after approximately 65 percent of voters voted against the proposals last year. Galaviz alleges the 2021 election saw intentionally misleading disinformation, according to El Paso Matters.
