Harris County officials are working through a backlog of 75,000 voter registration records before early voting begins, and at least 2,000 of those need extra review. The Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar’s Office told ABC13 that the pile includes new applications and updates like a new address, and it goes back as far as October 2025.
The rush comes after a state-level technical error kept applications made at Texas Department of Public Safety offices from being sent to home counties. DPS did not explain what the problem was but said the issue has been fixed.
The Scale of the Backlog
The 75,000 figure covers both new registrations and updates to existing ones. Officials said the changes go back as far as October 2025, meaning some submissions have sat unprocessed for nearly a year.
At least 2,000 of those records need additional review before they can move forward. The remaining records are new applications and updates that officials describe as routine.
The breakdown of the pile shows two distinct categories:
- New applications
- Updates like a new address
Both types are part of the 75,000 total, with the 2,000 needing extra review sitting atop the pile.
What Caused the Delay
The backlog traces to a technical error at the state level that kept applications made at Texas Department of Public Safety offices from being sent to home counties.
DPS did not explain what the problem was. The agency simply said the issue has been fixed, without giving details on the nature of the failure or how it happened.
The fix means new applications can now travel to the right place, but the records that arrived late still need sorting.
How Long the Office Has to Act
Counties have until early in-person voting starts on Oct. 19 to finish processing the late-arriving applications. That deadline gives officials a limited window to clear the pile.
Anyone with concerns can check their voter registration status by visiting VoteTexas.gov or contacting their county election office directly. Both paths let a voter see where their record stands and whether their submission made it through.
The deadline is firm. After Oct. 19, the clock stops.
The Review Process
The 2,000 records needing extra review are the ones that raise the stakes. These are the applications that officials flagged for closer inspection before they move forward.
A record needing extra review is a signal that something about the submission raised a question. The review process is separate from the routine updates.
Those records are simpler and move faster, but the 2,000 that need extra attention are the ones that could hold up the operation if they are not resolved in time.
Who Is Affected
The backlog affects anyone who tried to register or update their information at a DPS office since October 2025. The records cover both new applications and updates like a new address, though the source does not specify how many fall into each category.
The deadline is Oct. 19, early in-person voting starts. Anyone who submitted an application at a DPS office and has not heard back should check their status immediately.
The vote Texas website is the official channel for checking registration status, and the county election office is the fallback if the online check does not resolve a concern. Both paths are open, and both are free.
What Voters Should Do Now
The message to voters is simple: check your status before the deadline. Visit VoteTexas.gov or contact your county election office if you have any doubts about whether your submission made it through.
The office has identified the records that need processing, and officials are working to clear them before early voting begins. But voters should not wait for confirmation to arrive on its own.
Anyone who submitted an application at a DPS office and has not heard back should treat the situation as unresolved until they see their record confirmed online or in writing from the county office.
The Takeaway
Harris County has identified the records that need processing and flagged the ones that need extra review. The deadline is Oct. 19, early in-person voting starts.
Voters who submitted applications at a DPS office should check their status now. The vote Texas website is the official channel, and the county election office is available if the online check raises questions.
The state-level error is fixed. The deadline is coming fast.
Anyone who wants to vote early should know where their record stands before the first day of in-person voting. Checking now is the only way to avoid finding out at the polling place that a record is missing.
See the a run of 20 images at ABC13 Houston.
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