Texas Voter Registration Delay Challenge
League of Women Voters of Texas v. Howden
A pro-voting lawsuit challenging Texas for improperly processing voter registration applications.
Background
The League of Women Voters of Texas (LWV) and MOVE Texas Civic Fund filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Secretary of State’s Office (SOS) alleging that the state failed to properly process voter registration applications, forcing counties to deal with a backlog with limited time before the 2026 midterms. The lawsuit comes after reports that DPS did not send nearly 600,000 “voter registrations to the SOS to distribute to local county registrars.” The Plaintiffs allege this happened during “attempts to overhaul the statewide Texas Election Administration Management system.” Some of these delayed registrations date back to October 2025. The Plaintiffs ask for a permanent injunction to require the defendants to properly process voter registrations going forward.
Why It Matters
Voters in Texas were not able to register online until a federal court ordered the state to comply with the National Voter Registration Act in 2020, leading to a settlement agreement that required Texas to permanently make online registration available. The delays caused by an unreliable voter registration system can force voters to take extra steps to vote, like casting a provisional ballot.
Latest Updates:
- Oct. 9, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their complaint.