With Texas’ October 6 voter registration deadline fast approaching, election offices in Randall and Potter counties have faced hurdles processing applications, the result of a statewide software overhaul that has strained local resources and created voter uncertainty.
In July, the state of Texas launched an updated version of its voter registration system, TEAM (Texas Election Administration Management), replacing the decade-old software used to manage the state’s voter rolls. The new system, developed by Louisiana-based vendor Civix under a $17 million contract, was meant to streamline record-keeping and prepare Texas for future elections. Instead, it has produced backlogs and glitches that hit county registrars particularly hard, including here in the Panhandle.
Randall County: Three Weeks Behind
In Randall County, the transition exposed a major flaw: for several weeks, the new software was unable to receive updated address information from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Because many voters update their registration when renewing a driver’s license, the glitch caused thousands of records to stall in the system.
The problem snowballed into a three-week backlog for Randall County’s voter registration office. Staff worked overtime to catch up, manually verifying and entering information that the system failed to process.
“It’s been a challenge for us as voter registrars, it’s been a challenge for us as elections administrators, and it’s been a challenge for the secretary of state’s office, but we will get through this. Failing is not an option, and we will be ready to go,” said Shannon Lackey, Randall County elections administrator.
As of late September, the county reports it has cleared the backlog and is current on voter registrations. But the episode has raised questions about the timing of the software transition and whether counties were adequately prepared.
Potter County: Glitches but Caught Up
Neighboring Potter County has also experienced problems. While officials there declined an interview, they confirmed that their office encountered glitches with the new TEAM system. Like Randall County, Potter has now caught up on registrations, but staff remain wary as the October 6 deadline approaches.
The issues in both counties reflect the broader challenges playing out across Texas. According to reports from The Texas Tribune and Votebeat, larger counties such as Tarrant, Travis, and Bexar are facing tens of thousands of unprocessed applications due to the new system’s difficulties.
Local Offices Bear the Brunt
For county-level election staff, the software’s problems are not abstract. Delays in processing registrations directly affect local voters, many of whom call or visit their registrar’s office looking for answers.
The Panhandle counties, while smaller than urban areas, still serve tens of thousands of voters who rely on timely updates to their registration status. Even a few weeks’ backlog can put strain on limited staff and increase the risk of errors.
Randall County’s experience with the DPS address malfunction highlights the stakes. Without accurate address updates, voters could find themselves listed in the wrong precinct or flagged as ineligible on Election Day. Catching and correcting such errors requires both time and vigilance from local offices already stretched thin.
State Response and Local Frustration
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office has acknowledged the rocky rollout but attributed much of the trouble to a learning curve. Christina Adkins, director of the elections division, told local officials earlier this month that some problems reflect user adjustment more than software malfunction.
“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 said during a video conference.
But county officials across the state, including those in the Panhandle, counter that inadequate training and persistent technical malfunctions are real barriers. A September survey by the Texas Association of County Election Officials showed widespread dissatisfaction with how the system handles voter registration tasks.
For Lackey and her team in Randall County, the address backlog was not a matter of training but a fundamental glitch that required manual intervention. Potter County officials have voiced similar concerns privately, noting that “glitches” slowed their ability to process applications.
Lessons from the Panhandle
Despite the frustrations, Randall and Potter counties now report they are caught up and prepared to handle the surge of registrations expected in the days before the October 6 deadline. Their ability to dig out of backlogs may provide reassurance to voters in the Panhandle.
Still, the episode underscores how dependent local officials are on state-level decisions about election systems. Counties do not have the authority to bypass TEAM entirely, as state law requires daily syncing of voter data. When the system falters, the burden falls squarely on local offices to find workarounds.
Randall County’s near three-week backlog illustrates how quickly a local office can fall behind, even with experienced staff and relatively modest population numbers compared to Texas’ largest counties. The fact that staff eventually caught up is a credit to their persistence, but officials warn that a similar failure during a higher-turnout election cycle could have more serious consequences.
Preparing for Future Elections
The current registration period sets the stage for November’s constitutional amendment election, which typically draws lower turnout than statewide primaries or presidential contests. State officials argue this timing was intentional: rolling out the software now allows bugs to be fixed before Texas faces the higher demands of the 2024 election cycle.
Local administrators, however, say the stakes are still high. For voters whose applications are delayed, even a lower-turnout election represents a missed opportunity to participate. Moreover, the stress of catching up during a compressed period has placed extra pressure on county staff.
For Randall and Potter counties, the priority now is to maintain their current pace, ensuring no new backlogs develop as the deadline approaches. Both counties are urging residents not to wait until the last minute to register or update their information.
What Voters Should Do
Panhandle voters are encouraged to take proactive steps to confirm their status. The Texas Secretary of State’s website, VoteTexas.gov, allows residents to check their registration online. Voters can also contact their local registrar’s office directly in Amarillo or Canyon to verify their records.
Those who have recently moved, changed their name, or renewed a driver’s license should be especially careful to confirm that their registration is accurate. While Randall and Potter counties report they are caught up, the earlier backlogs mean some applications may still be in transition.
The final day to register for the November 7 election—or to update voter information—is October 6. Applications must be received by that date to be valid.
A Local Challenge Within a Statewide Problem
The rollout of the new TEAM system has produced a mix of frustration, adaptation, and caution for counties across Texas. In the Panhandle, Randall and Potter counties illustrate both the challenges of dealing with state-mandated technology and the resilience of local officials who must make the system work in real time.
For voters, the key takeaway is that registration remains open and accessible, but confirming one’s status is more important than ever. For election administrators, the hope is that the struggles of this summer will translate into a more stable system by the time the next high-turnout election arrives.
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