Texas Delays Voter Registration Cards Amid Election Software Issues and Redistricting

The holdup comes as early voting in the March primaries is set to begin, causing confusion for some voters.

Feb. 10, 2026 at 7:55am

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Texas' new voter registration system and recent redistricting have delayed the mailing of voter registration certificates, the documents that provide voters information about their polling place and assigned districts. The delay has left some voters confused, as the certificates are typically issued by early December, well before the start of early voting on February 17. While the certificates are not required to cast a ballot, they can serve as an additional form of ID and help voters identify their new congressional or legislative districts if boundaries have changed.

Why it matters

The delay in issuing voter registration certificates highlights the challenges Texas is facing with its new voter registration management system and the complications arising from the state's unusual mid-decade redistricting process. These issues could create confusion and make it more difficult for some voters to participate in the upcoming March primaries.

The details

Most of Texas' 254 counties rely on the Secretary of State's free election and voter registration management system, called TEAM, to produce the voter registration certificates. Local election officials have complained that they are struggling with the system, which was overhauled in July, and say it is contributing to the delay. The redrawn congressional and legislative district boundaries from last year's redistricting are also creating additional complications for the system. Several counties, including Harris and Tarrant, could not begin the process of uploading redistricting data until they completed special runoff elections on January 31.

  • The voter registration certificates should have been issued by December 6, 2025.
  • Early voting for the March 3, 2026 primaries is set to begin on February 17, 2026.

The players

Texas Secretary of State's Office

The state agency responsible for overseeing elections and managing the TEAM voter registration system.

Trudy Hancock

The election administrator for Brazos County, which uses the TEAM system and is struggling to update voter rolls in time for the March primaries.

Tandi Smith

The elections administrator for Kaufman County, which has more than 117,000 registered voters and has not yet been able to mail out voter registration certificates.

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What they’re saying

“This involves a massive upload of data to our system and then a careful review of voter data and validations at the county level to ensure accurate voter lists.”

— Alicia Pierce, Spokesperson, Texas Secretary of State's Office

“Even if voter certificates went out this week, we're not going to get that done in time to update the pollbooks.”

— Trudy Hancock, Election Administrator, Brazos County

“For us, especially in a growing county with a smaller staff, we're having to adjust when a system should be functional and meeting our needs. So we're just trying to work through those growing pains until there's a better way.”

— Tandi Smith, Elections Administrator, Kaufman County

What’s next

The Texas Secretary of State's Office is still working with several counties, including Harris and Tarrant, to upload redistricting data into the TEAM system. Election officials are racing against the clock to get voter registration certificates mailed out before the start of early voting on February 17.

The takeaway

The delays in issuing voter registration cards in Texas highlight the challenges state and local election officials face in adapting to new voting systems and redistricting changes, which could create confusion and barriers for voters ahead of the March primaries. It underscores the importance of clear communication and proactive efforts to ensure all eligible voters can easily participate in the electoral process.