Texas Voter Registration Backlog Triggers Lawsuit Ahead of 2026 Midterms

A software update to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) online driver-license portal caused a processing error that left nearly 600,000 voter-registration applications and updates unrecorded. The backlog, first reported in September, forced county election officials to work extended hours to clear the records before early voting begins in mid-October.

Texas election officials have processed hundreds of thousands of voter registrations caught in state error

The backlog revives a dispute that began with a 2021 settlement obligating Texas to maintain a reliable online voter-registration process under the National Voter Registration Act.

Voting rights groups sue Texas over DPS voter registration error

• September (2025-2026 cycle) – DPS identifies a programming error in its third-party vendor’s software update.

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• Early October – State-wide voter-registration deadline passes, prompting counties to confront the delayed files.

Voting rights groups sue Texas over DPS voter registration error

• Mid-October – Early voting for the November 2026 general election is scheduled to start.

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• Late October – County officials report that the backlog has been largely cleared; the lawsuit is filed in Bexar County’s 224th District Court.

Voting Rights Groups Say Texas Failed to Process Voter Registrations

• The DPS error affected nearly 600,000 applications, according to the agency.

Voting Rights Groups Say Texas Failed to Process Voter Registrations

• Harris County and Dallas County each received roughly 75,000 and 68,000 delayed records.

Voting Rights Groups Say Texas Failed to Process Voter Registrations

• The Texas Secretary of State’s Office announced grant funding to offset additional processing costs for affected counties.

Voting Rights Groups Say Texas Failed to Process Voter Registrations

The Texas Secretary of State’s office, through spokesperson Alicia Pierce, said the state has offered grants to counties and continues to pay overtime and temporary-worker costs. County election officials, represented by Kristin Miles, emphasized that staff worked nights and weekends to resolve the issue and urged preventive measures.

Texas election officials have processed hundreds of thousands of voter registrations caught in state error

State officials assert that the backlog has been cleared and that no counties have outstanding applications. The lawsuit maintains that many voters still lack updated registrations and may need to cast provisional ballots. No independent audit of the cleared records has been released, leaving the true extent of residual errors unverified.

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• “Every eligible voter should be able to cast their ballots and have their ballots counted, period,” — Mr. Alex Padilla, senator

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• “If that means long nights and working weekends, county election officials are not going to fail the voters of Texas,” — Kristin Miles, president of the election officials’ association and the Bastrop County election administrator

Texas election officials have processed hundreds of thousands of voter registrations caught in state error

• “Texas counties have worked diligently and have cleared the backlog. We don’t know of any counties with pending applications,” — Alicia Pierce, spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office

Texas election officials have processed hundreds of thousands of voter registrations caught in state error

The defendants are expected to file formal responses within a month, after which a district judge will determine whether the alleged failures constitute a breach of the 2021 settlement. The court’s decision will shape how the state addresses any remaining registration issues before voters head to the polls in November 2026.

Voting rights groups sue Texas over DPS voter registration error