The Texas attorney general's office announced arrests in Montgomery County on Oct. 30 after convicted felons allegedly voted while on parole.

The arrests landed four days before Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and during a cycle that has drawn record early-voting turnout across the region.

Arrest warrants were issued in Montgomery County for individuals identified in an investigation by the Attorney General's Election Integrity Unit (EIU), according to a statement from Paxton's office reported by Woodlands Online. Officers from the Attorney General's office then carried out the arrests.

The investigation began Oct. 27 after a citizen reported that convicted felons who were incarcerated, on parole or on probation had allegedly cast ballots in Harris County. The citizen provided what the Attorney General's office described as open-source information to support the allegation.

EIU analysts verified the individuals' identities, reviewed voter registration records and checked whether they had cast ballots in the 2026 election, according to the statement. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) confirmed that multiple individuals were on parole when they voted, making them ineligible under Texas law.

"My Election Integrity Unit is actively investigating additional reports of election crimes," Paxton said in the statement. "We will continue working to protect the lawful votes of Texans."

The Attorney General's office did not release the names of those arrested, the number of individuals taken into custody or the specific charges filed. No response from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office or the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office appears in the available record.

Why parole matters

Under Texas law, a person convicted of a felony loses the right to vote until the sentence is fully discharged, including any parole or probation period, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Once a sentence is complete or a person is pardoned, voting rights are automatically restored.

The Texas State Law Library notes that it is not always clear when a sentence has been fully completed.

Record turnout ahead of Election Day

The arrests come amid surging voter participation in Montgomery County. ABC 13 reported that the county logged 192,347 early voters through Oct. 30. Montgomery County's early vote was running 37% ahead of the same point in the 2018 midterm.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. is legally permitted to vote.

Paxton's office said it will continue investigating additional allegations of illegal voting.