Election vendor hits Texas counties with surcharge for software behind voter registration systems

Austin, Texas — A California-based election services company is charging several major Texas counties tens of thousands of dollars in additional fees, leaving election officials scrambling to pay the surcharges to maintain a crucial system that manages their voter registration.

The state’s key runoff elections are next month.

Several Texas counties contracted with VOTEC to provide software to maintain their voter registration system, but the company is now asking those jurisdictions to pay more. The San Diego company did not return requests for comment from The Associated Press on Thursday.

The nonprofit news outlet Votebeat reported that VOTEC sent a notice to provinces last month saying the “one-time” surcharge came as some provinces fell behind on payments and that additional issues with payroll and the company’s health insurance company were causing financial pressure.

Daniel Ramos, executive director of the Office of Management and Budget in Harris County, which includes Houston and is the state’s most populous, said the county has received new charges totaling $120,000. Ramos said the county would pay it quickly because it relies heavily on the software.

Collin County, which includes the Dallas suburbs, said it was charged $42,341.

In a statement, the Texas Secretary of State’s office said it was speaking to affected counties and advising them on what to do.

According to Votebeat, the company is one of only three companies authorized in Texas to provide voter registration software and is used by 32 of the state’s counties. It also provides the software in Illinois and Nevada, but Votebeat says the company has not imposed any surcharges in those states.