Harris County saw problems at several voting locations that led to some advocacy groups to sue to keep polls open an additional hour. The issue turned into a rapidly evolving lawsuit ending with the Texas Supreme Court requiring all votes cast by who arrived at polls after the usual closing time of 7 p.m. to be separated from the total count.

“The allegations of election improprieties in our state’s largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct,” Abbott said in a news release. “Voters in Harris County deserve to know what happened. Integrity in the election process is essential. To achieve that standard, a thorough investigation is warranted.”