HOUSTON -- A plot to steal dozens of votes with a non-existent address has been uncovered, officials told KPRC Local 2 Wednesday.

Harris County Tax Assessor Paul Bettencourt said it was obvious to him that several voter registration applications were fraudulent.

"We know because all the handwriting is the same," Bettencourt said.

The applications all had the last names Williams or Johnson. They also had the address of 2519 Dashwood Drive, which does not exist.

Bettencourt said the applications were mailed from El Paso.

The tax assessor's office has received 51 applications so far and more keep coming in.

"Now we have to go through and find out who was trying to do this," Bettencourt said. "And we have to go back to El Paso."

Bettencourt said these types of cases are tough to catch on Election Day because they rely on the honor system, not photo identification. He said he would like to change that to protect voters.

"This type of fraud is used specifically against people in general elections," Bettencourt said. "It's used against people in primaries. It's not specific to any political party."

Bettencourt said voter fraud cases can be hard to make, but the Harris County District Attorney's Office recently successfully prosecuted a case.

Forging government documents is a felony.