DALLAS – In response to the voting disruptions during the November 2024 election, Dallas County Commissioners have taken decisive action to prevent similar issues in upcoming elections.
The problem stemmed from malfunctions in the electronic pollbooks—devices used to check in voters, verify their precincts, and print the correct ballots. These errors resulted in at least 4,000 voters receiving incorrect ballots, leading the state to decertify the county’s current pollbook vendor, Election Systems & Software (ES&S).
ES&S is in the process of seeking state recertification, but approval may not come until mid-March—potentially too late for Dallas County’s election preparations.
In a special meeting on Tuesday, commissioners deliberated over whether to wait for ES&S or select a new vendor.
“Why couldn’t we just wait for ES&S and see if they get certified?” asked Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
“We could, but we can’t promise you they’ll get certified,” replied Dallas County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia. “If, on that day, the answer is ‘oops, we didn’t pass,’ we’re out of options.”
With poll worker training scheduled to begin in late March and early voting set for April, the county needed a reliable solution. A selection committee recommended Knowink, a company with a track record in election technology.
However, Commissioner John Wiley Price advocated for Votec, a firm already handling the county’s voter registration system. After thorough deliberation, the majority of commissioners opted to follow the selection committee’s recommendation, awarding Knowink a $7.6 million contract.
What Happens Next?
Knowink now faces a tight deadline, with a commitment to deliver 4,500 pollbooks by mid-March.
“They’ve assured us that we’ll have all the devices in hand by mid-March. If they meet that commitment, they’ll be our pollbook provider moving forward,” Garcia said.
Meanwhile, ES&S remains under contract with the county. If Knowink fails to deliver on time and ES&S regains state certification, the county could revert to using ES&S pollbooks for the May election.
Why This Matters
This election issue isn’t about the candidates—it’s about ensuring every vote counts. With new equipment on the way, Dallas County voters can expect a more efficient and accurate process in the upcoming elections.