SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County is facing a backlog of more than 50,000 voter registration cards after the system it previously used unexpectedly closed last month.
In a news conference on Monday, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and Elections Administrator Michele Carew said a fix is in place to process the new registrations before the Nov. 4 election.
The Bexar County Elections Department is now using the TEAMS system, run by the Secretary of State’s office, to process applications.
The old system used by the county, VoteTech, shut down in early August.
The county immediately began working with the Secretary of State to move to the TEAMS system, which required extensive data sharing and validation to ensure accuracy, including verifying over 60,000 streets in Bexar County.
Sakai said contract negotiations with a third-party vendor, VR Systems, are ongoing. VR Systems offers a more robust election management platform that could complement the TEAMS system in future elections, particularly for tasks like signature verification on mail ballots.
A new contract with that company was not completed in time for the upcoming election.
The county has hired eight temporary employees to help work through the backlog of approximately 52,000 applications, including those from National Voter Registration Day.
Many of these applications are digital and require verification before submission, allowing for faster processing, Carew said.
Despite the backlog, Carew said all eligible applications submitted on time will be processed in time for the November election.
“In simple terms, if you apply on time and you are eligible, your application will be processed and you will be able to vote in the November election,” Carew said.
The elections office expects to clear 75-80% of the backlog by the end of this week, Carew said.
For voters wondering about their registration status, Carew recommended checking votetexas.org or waiting for a voter registration card in the mail, which should arrive within 30 days.
The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming election is Monday, Oct. 6. Election Day is Nov. 4.
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