Court ratifies emergency RFP for certified e-poll books after closed-session legal review

Dallas County commissioners unanimously ratified a purchasing action to advertise a request for proposals seeking certified electronic poll books after county elections staff said the county had no certified e-poll provider available for upcoming elections.

Elections staff told the court the county initiated an RFP process because its current e-poll system had been decertified; staff said the advertising step was necessary to preserve the procurement timeline while certification or replacement options are evaluated. The RFP was advertised last week, with additional advertising and pre-proposal meetings scheduled this week so certified vendors could respond in time for the next election cycle.

Commissioners requested legal advice about whether the purchasing director had the authority to initiate the advertisement and seek ratification later. The court accepted legal counsel’s advice in closed session and, upon return to open session, Purchasing Director (name given in transcript as Frasch) confirmed he had the authority under the purchasing act to proceed. The court then voted unanimously to ratify the advertising of RFP No. 3 for certified e-poll books.

Elections staff emphasized that ratification does not pre-commit the county to any provider; if the county’s previous vendor obtains certification, that vendor could still be selected after the RFP evaluation process. The county also noted it retains the option to choose another certified provider if a different vendor’s product is preferable and meets certification requirements.

Ending County staff said RFP responses and vendor certification updates will be brought back to the court before any contract award; commissioners asked for continued legal transparency and timely updates to ensure the county has certified e-poll books for upcoming elections.