Guadalupe County opens new elections office and warehouse, meets state requirement for Election Day voting
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Summary
County officials and architects presented the completed Elections Administration facility, including expanded secure storage and voting space; the office will open for business Aug. 25 and allow the county to comply with new state rules requiring Election Day voting at the main early-voting location starting Sept. 1.
Guadalupe County officials on Aug. 19 unveiled their new Elections Administration facility and adjacent warehouse, a project the court said had been completed on time and under budget despite utility and sewer‑connection complications discovered during construction.
The county will officially open the new offices for voters on Monday, Aug. 25, and hold an open house for the public and elected officials in mid‑September. Elections Administrator Lisa Hayes told commissioners the new space allows the office to run Election Day voting at its main site — a requirement coming into force Sept. 1 under recent state legislation — and provides long‑term secure storage for ballot boxes and voting equipment.
Why it matters: The facility expands the county’s storage and processing capacity and addresses security and recording requirements cited by the Texas Secretary of State. Commissioners and the project team emphasized storage capacity for growth over the next 15–20 years and better in‑building security and camera coverage for state compliance.
Project background and construction notes
Level 5 Architecture and Kahler Company presented site plans showing two elements: the renovated former USDA building converted to office and voting space, and a new warehouse for long‑term storage of election supplies. Construction began Oct. 15, 2024; the project encountered delays while rerouting an unknown water line and connecting the facility to City of Seguin sanitary sewer, but the county received a final certificate of occupancy on Aug. 15 and staff began moving equipment on Aug. 18.
Elections Administrator Lisa Hayes said movers had begun transferring voting equipment and that the old office would remain open through the end of that week so voters would not be inconvenienced. The new office opens officially at 8 a.m. on Aug. 25, with the old office closing at 5 p.m. the prior Friday.
Operational improvements and security
County officials noted the facility was lit for security at night; it includes a secure staff entrance and secure parking. The county repurposed a generator from the Justice Center for backup power at the elections site. Hayes and the architect said the new arrangement will facilitate election‑day operations that were previously done off‑site.
Ending
Commissioners thanked the design and construction teams and praised the facility’s layout and cost effectiveness. Officials said photos of the completed building would be shared publicly and that the public would be invited to the mid‑September open house.