AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-Republican Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has prosecuted nothing but Democrats since he began cracking down on voter fraud.

The 26 cases have involved mostly blacks or Hispanics, and mostly resulted in small fines, The Dallas Morning News reported.

In 18 of the 26 voter fraud cases, the voters were eligible and their votes were properly cast.

But the people who gathered the ballots for mailing were prosecuted since state law prohibits carrying someone else's ballot to the mailbox unless the carrier's name and address are on the envelope.

Critics, including Matt Angle of the Lone Star Project, accuse Abbott of waging a partisan campaign to intimidate minority voters.

He said Abbott has gone after people who helped their elderly or disabled neighbors vote.

"They are trying to send a message to a much larger community that voting is a risky business," Angle said.

Abbott established a special vote-fraud unit in his office, using a $1.4 million federal grant.

From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.