NAACP, Voting Rights Groups Demand Texas Correct Motor Voter Registration Failures Before November Election
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2026
Contact: communications@naacpnet.org
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Yesterday, The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), on behalf of the NAACP, NAACP Texas State Conference, and the Texas League of United Latin American Citizens (TX LULAC), called on Texas to remedy widespread failures in the state's motor voter registration system that delayed the transmission of more than 500,000 voter registrations and updates ahead of this year's midterm elections.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) acknowledges programming errors in the state's motor voter registration system dating as far back as December 2025. Voting rights organizations have raised concerns about the possibility of voters using the DPS system and later discovering that their voter records were not updated. These critical errors could disenfranchise thousands of legal voters who would not be able to exercise their right to vote this November. The registration deadline in Texas ended Oct. 5.
"Federal law is crystal clear — agencies must transmit voter registration applications and updates in a timely manner, not allow them to sit and collect dust," said Kristen M. Clarke, general counsel, NAACP. "Failing to transmit hundreds of thousands of voter records poses a major threat to the fundamental right to vote for people across the state. Texas must immediately address the harm posed to those seeking to participate in this election cycle and be held accountable for what may be one of the most brazen violations of the NVRA that we have seen in recent years."
The voting rights groups sent a formal notice to Texas Secretary of State Robert S. Howden alleging that these failures violated provisions of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which require the timely transmission of motor voter registration. They have given the state 20 days to remedy the alleged violations, including properly registering eligible voters so that they can cast regular, non-provisional ballots in this election.
"Hundreds of thousands of Texas voters used the DPS system to register to vote or update their registration, and they reasonably expected the DPS to transmit and process their voter registration information to election officials in a timely manner. Because that apparently did not happen, the burden now belongs to the state of Texas to make this right," said Bradley Heard, deputy legal director, SPLC. "It is not sufficient for the state to simply announce that the problem has been fixed. With early voting quickly approaching, Texas must be able to show and prove that every affected eligible voter has been identified, properly registered, notified of their status and placed in a position to cast a regular ballot, as federal law requires."
In a separate notice, the SPLC requested records about qualifying voter registration transactions through DPS, as well as records about whether delayed registrations and updates have been processed, and whether the state has taken sufficient steps to protect impacted voters. The records request covers the previous two years.
"We have a huge number of people on the Suspense List, a primary election where the Secretary of State was not able to provide voters with information it had provided in previous elections and a response to our open records request stating that documents sent to local registrars and voting officials could not be reproduced because they were sent electronically. These are not isolated glitches," said Gary Bledsoe, president, NAACP Texas State Conference. "We are witnessing systemic breakdowns in the fundamental steps that ensure every eligible Texan can register and be placed on an accurate voter roll. When the State does not properly process new registrations, when it lacks established voter lists 30 days before an election, and when it persists in using an unreliable electronic system that it has known about for some time, the integrity and fairness of our elections are put at risk."
"Texans who registered or updated their information through DPS did exactly what the law asked of them, and they should not pay the price for the state's programming failures," said Juan Proaño, CEO, LULAC. "More than half a million registrations and updates were delayed while the Oct. 5 deadline came and went. LULAC expects Texas to find every affected voter, confirm their registration and notify them before early voting begins, so that no eligible citizen is left with a provisional ballot or no ballot at all."
Read the letter and the notice.
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The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.