Kendall County election officials told the Commissioners Court on June 12 that federal and state changes to voting-system rules, combined with new state law on early voting, could require equipment changes and added space and staffing at polling locations.

Election Administrator Stacy (last name not specified) said the U.S. Election Assistance Commission is weighing restrictions on machine features — specifically barcode-based tabulation — and that vendors are preparing changes. “The EAC doesn’t have an answer,” she said, describing vendor workarounds such as on-demand ballot printers for ADA voters and full‑size paper ballots for other voters.

The county’s vendor is Election Systems and Software, which Stacy said supplies roughly 60% of U.S. election equipment. She noted the agency is exploring a short‑term option to print full‑size ballots on demand if barcodes are disallowed, but cautioned that might require additional equipment and supplies and could be costly. “Most things that come through on the election side are unfunded,” she told the court.

Stacy also highlighted Senate Bill 2753, a state law that will change the timing and site requirements for early voting. Under the bill, early voting would begin 12 days before Election Day (instead of 17) and continue without a break through the Monday before Election Day; every early‑voting site would also have to operate as an Election Day site. “Our building can’t handle that,” she said, describing crowded counting and qualifying areas at the current elections facility and saying the county will need a larger site to serve voters and run the ballot board and central count during an extended early‑voting period.

Stacy asked the court to consider the cost of either buying additional equipment or moving election operations to a larger facility, and asked whether such costs could be covered as an emergency if the state or feds required an immediate change to certified systems.

Commissioners and staff discussed possible interim solutions (on‑demand printing, temporary vendor devices) and agreed to seek cost estimates and to treat any required replacement of federally certified equipment as a high‑priority contingency should the EAC rule against barcode tabulation.

The county will seek vendor quotes and legal/finance guidance before making final purchasing or relocation decisions; no formal financial commitment was made at the workshop.

Ending: County election officials asked the court to budget for contingency planning — space, printers and staff — and to expect more concrete cost estimates once the EAC and the Texas elections authorities publish clarified requirements.