AUSTIN, Texas – A California election services company is charging several large Texas counties tens of thousands of dollars in surcharges, leaving election officials scrambling to pay the extra fees to preserve a key system that manages their voter registration.
The second round of primary elections in the state is 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 respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press on Thursday.
Nonprofit news outlet Votebeat reported that VOTEC sent a message to counties last month saying the “one-time” charge was because some counties were late with payments and that additional issues with the company’s payroll and health insurance provider were causing financial strain.
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 received new fees totaling $120,000. Ramos said the district will pay for it soon because it relies heavily on software.
Collin County, which includes the Dallas suburbs, said $42,341 was collected.
In a statement, the Texas Secretary of State’s office said it is talking to affected counties and advising them on what to do.
According to Votebeat, the company is one of only three authorized to provide voter registration software in Texas, with 32 counties in the state using its software. It also offers the software in Illinois and Nevada, but Votebeat said the company has not released additional fees in those states.