Southwest Library voting location found unsecured after polls closed

A security lapse at an early voting location in Randall County last week prompted a response from election officials and law enforcement after a voter discovered an unsecured polling room at the Southwest Library Branch in Amarillo.

According to Shannon Lackey, the Randall County Election Administrator, the doors to the early voting polling area inside the Southwest Library Branch were not securely locked after polls closed on Feb. 26.

Lackey said she was first notified at 6:37 p.m. that evening that the entrance doors to the polling location were unlocked. The alert came after a voter who had arrived at the Randall County Annex — a permanent early voting site — informed the lead early voting clerk that she had earlier visited the Southwest Library Branch and found something unusual.

The voter reported that while the solid wooden doors to the polling room were closed, she pulled on one and it opened. She also noticed the lights were off and no staff were present.

In a statement shared with state and county officials, Lackey explained:

“I have attached the statement that I provided to the Secretary of State, County Judge, Sheriff and County Chairs. I am also including the statement from APD after reviewing the security surveillance video that is outside the door at the library. She observed the lights off and the voting equipment unattended.”

After receiving the report, the lead early voting clerk contacted Lackey, who immediately reached out to library staff. After a brief hold, library personnel confirmed the doors had been locked.

Shortly afterward, at 6:53 p.m., Lackey received a call from Chris Forbis, the Sheriff of Randall County. He said a precinct chair had also contacted him after hearing from a voter about the unsecured room.

A deputy was immediately dispatched to the Southwest Library Branch. Upon arrival, the deputy confirmed the doors were locked and that the room appeared undisturbed.

Lackey then contacted library staff again and requested that someone remain on-site until she could arrive in person. Because her office in Canyon serves as the county’s main early voting location, she first had to properly close operations there before traveling to Amarillo.

Once at the library, Lackey met with a staff member and began verifying the security of the voting equipment. She confirmed that the number of devices present matched the Chain of Custody form completed when the equipment was deployed. She also compared the security seal numbers and serial numbers to the Daily Reconciliation log recorded earlier by early voting clerks when polls were suspended at 5 p.m.

All records aligned.

Lackey reported that she personally verified each poll pad, controller, scanner, and voting device in the polling area and found no discrepancies. After completing the inspection, she signed and documented the time and date on the relevant envelope.

Meanwhile, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office requested access to surveillance footage from the library foyer. The recording system, managed by the City of Amarillo, captures entry to the polling area.

The footage was reviewed by Craig Cothrin of the Amarillo Police Department’s Digital Forensic Unit.

Cothrin provided a timeline of events based on the video review:

“I observed poll workers leave the polling location at approximately 5:25 pm. The doors to the polling room remained unlocked after their departure.

“Between approximately 5:25 pm and 6:45 pm, three individuals opened the door to the polling room, observed the lights were off, and left. One of those individuals briefly stepped inside the room, realized no staff were present, and exited shortly thereafter.”

According to the footage, library staff locked the doors at approximately 6:45 p.m. after being notified they were unsecured.

Officials emphasized that the situation was quickly resolved and that subsequent checks showed no signs of tampering or irregularities with the voting equipment.

The Southwest Library Branch, located on 45th Avenue in Amarillo, is one of several early voting locations serving Randall County residents. While the incident raised concerns about post-closing security procedures, election officials said the reporting by an observant voter played a critical role in ensuring the issue was addressed promptly.

Lackey’s verification process — including cross-checking serial numbers, seals, and custody documentation — confirmed that all equipment remained accounted for and secure.

Law enforcement continues to review the incident as part of standard procedure, but at this time, officials report that the integrity of the voting equipment was not compromised.

The episode underscores the importance of both procedural safeguards and public vigilance in maintaining election security — particularly during early voting periods when polling sites operate in multiple locations across the county.