Liberty County elections board approves contracts, consolidates locations and backs countywide polling program

The Liberty County Elections Board on March 7 approved a slate of actions to prepare for the May 3, 2025 city and school elections, including election contracts (with one contract conditioned on the developer district supplying a voter by March 14), a consolidated set of voting locations that excludes Hardin for this cycle, publication of required notices and a logic-and-accuracy test on April 2, and a resolution opposing the elimination of countywide polling places, electronic poll books and electronic ballot marking devices.

The actions matter because they set logistics and legal posture for upcoming local elections and respond to pending state legislation that board members said could restrict current vote-center and electronic‑poll‑book practices. The board voted to forward the resolution to the Liberty County Commissioners Court for their consideration on March 11.

The board approved the elections contracts under agenda item 5(a) while noting one contract requires a physical voter to be placed by Liberty County MUD No. 15 so the county can generate ballots. Lee, an elections office staff member, told the board the MUD has until March 14 to provide the required voter and that the county will cancel the contract if the voter is not provided: "I've given them till the fourteenth, or we're gonna cancel their contract." The board approved the contracts with that contingency; the motion to approve was made by Michael Mark and seconded by Rick Garland.

Board members discussed how contract billing will cover all hours the elections office must staff during the entity's election, including overtime. A board member asked that the contracts cover "all the…