Election vendor hits Texas counties with surcharge for software behind voter registration systems

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A California-based vendor of election services is charging several Texas counties tens of thousands of dollars in additional fees. The requests from VOTEC have led the counties to discuss their options with the Texas Secretary of State’s office. The surcharges are for the data management system that various Texas counties use to manage their voter registration system. Harris County, which includes Houston and is Texas’ most populous, said it expects to pay the $120,000 surcharge shortly because it relies heavily on the registration system.