Introduction to Hand-Counting Ballots in Dallas County
Dallas County is poised to become the largest jurisdiction in the U.S. to hand-count paper ballots as the local Republican Party has decided to manually tally election day ballots during its March primary. After two hours discussing their distrust of electronic voting machines and tabulators on Monday, Dallas County Republican leaders adopted the hand-counting plan for ballots cast on March 3 but excluded ballots submitted during early voting.
The Decision-Making Process
The decision was made by roughly 200 Republican Party precinct chairs, who stood from their seats to register their votes in support when they gathered in Storehouse Church’s auditorium. No more than a dozen stood against the measure, but their logistical questions and concerns sparked raucous pushback from the crowd. “The biggest part of starting a journey is the first step and I think that’s what we’ve done and I think that a lot of people will be watching to see what happens here,” the county’s party chairman Allen West said in an interview.
The Plan and Its Challenges
With more than 49,000 Republican ballots expected to be cast on election day, the endeavor presents a significant task for the party as Texas law requires vote totals be submitted to the state 24 hours after polls close on election day. The plan is contingent upon securing sufficient staffing, funding and project management, according to the resolution. If executed, it will make Dallas County surpass Idaho County, Idaho, with 12,000 registered voters, as the largest jurisdiction known to implement hand-counting, said Mark Lindeman, policy and strategy director for Verified Voting, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks technology in elections.
Former Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West gives a thumbs up to the crowd before speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday, July 11, 2021, in Dallas. (Elias Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News)
Concerns and Criticisms
Election experts say the cost, time demands and odds for human error make hand-counting less reliable than machine systems. But in pushing for the change, speakers on Monday echoed unverified claims made since the 2020 presidential election about manipulation of ballots, interference with tabulators and unreliable tests for voting machines. “Let’s not be naive about this: Election fraud does occur on the local level,” said party member Nate Weymouth. “Let’s start now making changes.”
The Hand-Counting Process
The party intends to use a three-person counting system for each ballot, said party member Preeti Malladi. “If we can’t get the money, we can’t get the volunteers, we’re going to exit out,” Malladi told the crowd. In June, a task force within the party began investigating the feasibility of hand-counting ballots during the March primary, prompted by doubts about the security of Dallas County’s machine systems, West said.
Implications and Future Plans
While the party explored the idea of also hand-counting during early voting, the plan approved Monday does not apply to those ballots. Political parties typically contract with counties to run elections. The Dallas County Elections Department uses paper ballots that voters insert into machines to cast their selections — not hand-marked paper ballots. The machine-marked paper ballots are then put into tabulators. The plan approved Monday also depends on the party finalizing “an acceptable contract” with the Dallas County Elections Department, the resolution states.
Separate Contracts and Voting Systems
In a separate vote, the executive committee overwhelmingly decided it would not enter a joint contract with the Dallas County Democratic Party like it had done since 2022. This means both parties will use separate equipment and election workers within the same voting locations. The Republicans will also not participate in the countywide voting program Dallas County has used since 2019, which allows a voter to cast a ballot at any of the roughly 70 early voting and 450 election day voting centers no matter where they live.
Potential Issues and Concerns
During Monday’s meeting, party member Matt Patrick raised concern about the potential for lawsuits if the Republicans fail to submit vote tallies within the 24 hour deadline. He pressed for more specifics on costs, staffing and whether the party had accurately prepared for fluctuations in turnout in order to have enough ballots ready at the polls. His request for more data was met with boos and heckles from the crowd. “There’s a lot of hope here and there’s a lot of projection but there’s no real hard evidence that we’re going to be able to pull this off,” Patrick said.
Conclusion
The decision by the Dallas County Republican Party to hand-count ballots on election day is a significant move that has sparked both support and criticism. While some see it as a way to increase transparency and security in the voting process, others argue that it is unnecessary and could lead to errors and delays. As the party moves forward with its plan, it will be important to watch how it is implemented and what impact it has on the voting process in Dallas County.
FAQs
Q: Why has the Dallas County Republican Party decided to hand-count ballots on election day?
A: The party has decided to hand-count ballots due to concerns about the security and reliability of electronic voting machines and tabulators.
Q: How many ballots are expected to be cast on election day?
A: More than 49,000 Republican ballots are expected to be cast on election day.
Q: What is the deadline for submitting vote totals to the state?
A: Texas law requires vote totals to be submitted to the state 24 hours after polls close on election day.
Q: How will the hand-counting process work?
A: The party intends to use a three-person counting system for each ballot.
Q: Will the party also hand-count ballots submitted during early voting?
A: No, the plan approved Monday does not apply to ballots submitted during early voting.
Q: What are the potential risks and challenges associated with hand-counting ballots?
A: The potential risks and challenges include human error, delays, and increased costs.
Q: How will the party ensure that it has sufficient staffing and funding to implement the hand-counting plan?
A: The party will need to secure sufficient staffing, funding, and project management to implement the plan, according to the resolution.
