As Texas approaches the October 6 deadline to register for the upcoming constitutional amendment election, thousands of voter registration applications remain unprocessed. Local election officials and voters are raising concerns about delays linked to the rollout of an updated version of the state’s voter registration system, known as TEAM (Texas Election Administration Management).
According to reporting by The Texas Tribune, in partnership with Votebeat, county officials across the state have encountered technical problems with the new system, significantly slowing down routine registration procedures. In Tarrant County, approximately 13,000 applications are awaiting verification. Travis County reports over 12,000 pending registrations, and Bexar County has more than 40,000 still unprocessed.
Christina Adkins, director of the elections division at the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, acknowledged the difficulties but said many stem from users adjusting to the new system. “There is a difference between a county saying this doesn’t work and a county saying, I don’t know how to do this,” Adkins told local officials during a video conference earlier this month.
Counties Cite Malfunctions and Training Gaps
However, several county election administrators have pushed back, referencing inadequate training and persistent system malfunctions. They note that technical problems identified during early training sessions were not fully addressed before launch, limiting their ability to use the system effectively.
Heather Hood, whose daughter submitted her voter registration application months ago, said she has received little clarity despite multiple attempts to get answers from state and county officials. “It’s so frustrating to be placated, and they’re telling me to be patient when they are the ones who have put this system into place, and it is not working correctly,” Hood told Votebeat in a phone interview.
TEAM has been in use since the early 2000s, but this latest upgrade marks the most significant overhaul in more than a decade. Developed by Louisiana-based vendor Civix under a $17 million contract, the new version required the migration of over 20 million records and training for more than 2,500 users. While counties may contract with private vendors for certain tasks, state law still requires them to sync their voter data with TEAM daily and use the system to verify eligibility.
The Secretary of State’s Office has described the transition as a “multi-stage process” and noted that the current election cycle was selected intentionally to allow for system adjustments ahead of future high-demanding elections. The office says it has tripled the number of staff members assigned to assist counties and is working closely with Civix to address ongoing issues.
Officials Hope for Improvements Before Future Elections
Nevertheless, frustration among local officials continues. A survey from September 2, conducted by the Texas Association of County Election Officials, found that a substantial number of respondents reported difficulty with key system functions, particularly those related to voter registration.
Some counties have opted not to use TEAM as their primary system. In Nueces County, officials chose to contract with a private vendor instead, citing risks associated with migrating sensitive data such as voters’ signatures and addresses.
Despite these challenges, some administrators remain cautiously hopeful. “Six months from now, I might tell you that TEAM is working great, and we really like the new TEAM,” said Pamela Hill, elections administrator for San Patricio County. “I hope we get there.”
In the meantime, Texas voters are encouraged to verify their registration status at VoteTexas.gov or contact a local registrar.
