POLITICS & ELECTIONS
A Texas voter registration backlog of at least 178,000 applications has become a political flashpoint just weeks before the November 3 election. On October 2, Democratic attorney general candidate Nathan Johnson said that, if elected, he would investigate the consulting firm Deloitte and other state vendor contracts, CNBC reported.
Election officials say the delayed records are being processed. The dispute now is over who should answer for the failure and how to prevent a repeat.
QUICK SUMMARY
A technology error kept voter registration applications and updates from reaching Texas counties for months. At least 178,000 records are confirmed in seven counties, and some reports put the statewide figure above 200,000. State officials say affected voters will be able to vote, while Johnson wants a review of Deloitte’s role and state contracting.
What Went Wrong With Voter Applications
The problem involved applications and updates submitted through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), including those filed when people renewed or changed driver’s licenses. FOX 4 reported that a system update stopped DPS from sending those records to county election offices, creating a backlog of roughly 11 months.
The issue came to light only in September. According to Houston Public Media, the secretary of state’s office said it learned about the problem after county officials noticed a surge of older applications arriving from DPS.
Size of the Texas Voter Registration Backlog
The exact number is still unclear. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Republican, has said 178,000 registrations were affected. Houston Public Media noted that officials in seven of the state’s 254 counties had confirmed receiving more than 178,000 records combined, but the statewide total was unknown.
The Texas Tribune and Votebeat reported that the error left at least 200,000 applications and updates unprocessed. Because the figures come from different counts, readers should treat 178,000 as a confirmed minimum rather than a final total.
| Issue | DPS records not forwarded to county registrars |
|---|---|
| Confirmed records | More than 178,000 across seven counties |
| Other reported figure | At least 200,000 (Texas Tribune, Votebeat) |
| Delay length | About 11 months |
| Vendor named | Deloitte (per Sen. Bettencourt and Johnson) |
| Election Day | November 3, 2026 |
Johnson Targets Deloitte and State Contracts
Johnson, a state senator, will face Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton in the attorney general race. He told CNBC he would examine Deloitte and other vendor agreements and criticized Republican leaders for outsourcing essential government duties to contractors.
A report from Traders Union cited the Legislative Budget Board in saying Deloitte holds six active DPS contracts worth a combined $84.46 million. It also said Johnson called the failure a genuine error but not an excusable one.
Bettencourt, for his part, said on social media that a Deloitte system update halted the automatic transfers. He also argued that secretary of state staff should have caught the missing registrations sooner, according to Houston Public Media. Deloitte’s response was not part of the coverage reviewed for this article.
How Counties Are Clearing the Records
Counties began receiving the records around September 23. WFAA reported that Dallas County received about 68,401 records and had processed all eligible applications in that batch by Sunday, September 27. About 6,600 records needed individual review, and several thousand were still pending.
The same report said the state would pay for overtime to help clear the work. Votebeat described the state’s plan as grants to help counties offset their costs. County officials also told Votebeat the statewide registration system, TEAM, makes the cleanup harder.
The Texas Association of County Election Officials urged residents to check their registration status online or with their county voter registrar.
What Voters Should Know Before November 3
The secretary of state’s office has said registrations submitted through DPS will be processed in time for the election. According to FOX 4, a voter who does not appear on the roll but registered through DPS online services can cast a provisional ballot, and the vote will count if the DPS registration is confirmed.
Gov. Greg Abbott said at a press conference that DPS had told his office the issue was fully resolved, according to Votebeat. Even so, anyone who submitted a registration or address change through DPS in the past year can verify their status now rather than waiting until Election Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Texas voter registration backlog?
Reports say a system update stopped DPS from sending voter records to county offices. Bettencourt blames a Deloitte upgrade. The full cause is still being examined.
How many applications were delayed?
At least 178,000 records are confirmed in seven counties. The Texas Tribune and Votebeat reported at least 200,000, and the statewide total is unknown.
Will affected voters be able to vote?
The secretary of state’s office says DPS registrations will be processed before Election Day. Voters missing from the roll can cast a provisional ballot.
What does Nathan Johnson plan to do?
If elected attorney general, Johnson says he will investigate Deloitte and other state vendor contracts.
How can voters check their status?
County election officials recommend confirming registration online or by contacting the county voter registrar.
