SAN MARCOS — John Hatch, chairman of the Hays County Democratic Party, filed a complaint with the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct against Hays County Court at Law No. 3 judge candidate Robert Elwood Updegrove, also known as “Wood” Updegrove.
Wood is trying to confuse voters and make them believe that it is not he but his father who is running for office, Hatch said.
According to a press release, “The complaint alleges that Robert Elwood Updegrove (aka) Robert E. Updegrove (aka) “Wood” Updegrove, a licensed attorney in Texas (State of Texas Bar Association No. 24117491) and Republican candidate for Judge of the Third Judicial District of Hays County in the upcoming November general election, intentionally, knowingly and/or recklessly conducted himself in a manner intended to confuse and deceive the voters of Hays County, Texas by concealing the identity of the current Republican Party candidate for Judge of the Third Judicial District of Hays County, in violation of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, the Texas Elections Code and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.
In addition, the complaint alleges that Wood Updegrove is disqualified from running for office as Judge of the Hays County Court-at-Law #3 pursuant to Texas Government Code § 25.0014 because he has not been a resident of Hays County for at least two (2) years prior to the upcoming election, but has been a resident of Guadalupe County for more than the last two (2) years.”
Wood allegedly uses the same name and other information as his father on his campaign finance reports, which also confused the Hays County elections office and led to both of the Updegroves’ reports being merged. The complaint also alleges that Wood does not use his middle name, therefore goes by “Robert E. Updegrove” and reuses his father’s old campaign signs by replacing court number 1 with court number 3.
Other issues cited in the lawsuit include misrepresentation of Woods on the Hays County Republican Party website, lack of information online and limited public campaign appearances.
“It is important that the identity of anyone running for judge in Hays County be clear and transparent,” Hatch said. “The fact that Wood Updegrove has a similar name to his father, Robert Earl Updegrove, is not a problem, but intentionally confusing voters and making them believe the candidate on the ballot is his father, who previously served as a judge in the Hays County Court at Law for 12 years, rather than Wood Updegrove, who has barely four years of experience as an attorney, is neither transparent nor trustworthy.”
