By PAUL J. WEBER and CLARICE SIBLER
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The embattled Texas elections chief who questioned the U.S. citizenship of nearly 100,000 voters has resigned ahead of being forced out of office.

Local media outlets report Secretary of State David Whitley submitted his resignation letter Monday. He did so just before the Texas Legislature was set to adjourn without taking the confirmation note Whitley needed to keep his job.

Democrats blocked a vote on Whitley after his office used flawed data in a bungled scouring of voter rolls. President Donald Trump used the information Whitley's office provided to renew his unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.

U.S District Judge Fred Biery called Texas' search for non-citizen voters "a solution looking for a problem."

Republicans never forced vote on Whitley, sidestepping partisan battles ahead of a potential fight for their GOP majority in 2020.

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