Lubbock County’s elections office is planning to keep its current voting‑machine fleet in place for the 2028 presidential election. Elections Administrator Troy Havard explained to Lubbock Lights that introducing a brand‑new system in a presidential year could create unnecessary risk for voters and poll workers.
Why a 2028 switch is off the table
“You do not want to go into a presidential cycle, whether it’s the primaries or the presidential race itself, using that system for the first time,” Havard said. The county’s agenda memo notes that the existing Hart Verity machines are approaching a decade of service and vendor support is winding down. A maintenance contract with Cranel, the firm that services the county’s central ballot scanners, ends in August 2027, and Cranel has indicated that year will be its final one providing service.
Options under review
Havard will brief Lubbock County Commissioners on two Hart InterCivic options during a special meeting on Monday, Nov. 16. Both proposals feature the Vanguard system, which meets the newer voting‑system standards set by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. One option includes Hart’s Vault scanner – a device that reads paper ballots at the polling place – while the other omits it. The county has not released pricing for either configuration.
Recent equipment hiccups underscore caution
Last November an early‑voting site experienced a scanner malfunction. Havard said the county rescanned 5,681 paper ballots from that site to verify the vote count, a process that delayed the release of unofficial results until early Wednesday morning. Earlier in April, a separate malfunction forced the use of emergency paper ballots at several polling locations.
Funding timeline and next steps
Commissioners will need to decide whether to allocate funds for a 2027 purchase or to plan a 2029 acquisition. Havard emphasized that the county must secure financing well in advance of any new equipment rollout.
Voter‑registration database and precinct numbering
In addition to equipment, Havard will discuss the possibility of adopting a third‑party system to manage the county’s voter‑registration database while continuing to exchange data with the state. The county recently cleared a backlog of more than 8,000 registration records that had been delayed by a state‑wide software failure.
He also plans to propose moving to four‑digit precinct numbers, a change that could streamline reporting and reduce confusion for poll workers.
Meeting details
The special meeting begins at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, on the fifth floor of the Lubbock County Courthouse, 904 Broadway. The voting‑equipment briefing is item 3 on the posted agenda. Commissioners and interested residents are encouraged to attend and review the options before a decision is made.
By postponing a first‑time rollout until after the 2028 presidential election, Lubbock County aims to protect the integrity of the vote while giving officials ample time to evaluate new technology, secure funding, and address any lingering equipment issues.
Original reporting: Lubbock Lights — read the source article.
