After Texas DPS neglected tens of thousands of voter applications, Democrats demand an investigation

Key Points:

• Tens of thousands of voter registration applications in Texas, some nearly a year old, were delayed due to a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) system error that prevented them from reaching county voter registrars.
• The DPS stated the system issue has been resolved and worked with the secretary of state’s office to correct incomplete records, but has not disclosed the cause or full scope of the problem.
• Large counties like Collin County are facing significant backlogs, with officials analyzing tens of thousands of records to identify duplicates and new registrations, requiring additional temporary staff to manage the workload.
• Texas Democrats, including state Rep. John Bucy, are urging Governor Greg Abbott to allocate resources to help counties process the backlog ahead of the midterm elections, highlighting concerns about potential impacts on voter access.
• Voters affected by the error can still cast provisional ballots, which will be counted once registration is verified, and are encouraged to check their registration status with county election officials.