Texas faces 200,000 voter registration backlog due to state error

Texas is facing a backlog of at least 200,000 voter registration applications and updates following a state error. Election officials are now tasked with processing these records in the weeks leading up to midterm elections.

The issue stems from a flaw in the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) web portal, which is the state’s only online registration option. Reports indicate that the DPS failed to transmit thousands of applications and updates to counties, an error the agency attributed to a software update.

Voting rights experts note that Texas is one of only eight states without universal online voter registration. Advocates, including Sarah Chen of the Texas Civil Rights Project, expressed concerns that the technical glitches and restrictive registration system could lead to voter disenfranchisement if applications are not processed before election deadlines. While officials have promised to process every record, the backlog has prompted bipartisan calls for an investigation.