Lubbock County court backs vote centers for May elections and adopts resolution opposing their elimination

The Lubbock County Commissioners Court on Monday authorized the countywide vote center program for city and school elections on May 3, 2025, and adopted a resolution opposing state proposals to eliminate countywide vote centers.

Elections administrator Roxlyn Stinson told the court the county has 50 vote centers now and that returning to precinct-based election day voting would strain staff, equipment and buildings and could cost the county an estimated $300,000 to $400,000 or more. "If Lubbock County right now, we're at 50 for countywide ... it is straining our resources," Stinson said.

The court voted to permit the vote center program for the May elections on a motion by Commissioner Corley, seconded by Commissioner Dolby. The vote carried. Later, the court adopted a resolution urging legislators not to eliminate the countywide vote-center program; the motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Rackler and seconded by Commissioner Shaw and passed.

Why it matters: Lubbock County has operated vote centers since it served as a pilot under the 80th Texas Legislature, according to Stinson. Under vote-center rules used in Lubbock, voters may cast ballots at any vote center on election day. County officials warned that a legislative rollback to precinct-based, election-day-only voting would increase equipment needs, staffing demands and facility requirements and could require the county to find or upgrade many more polling places.

Discussion and caveats: Stinson said the county would face costs to buy additional voting equipment, hire more poll workers and secure buildings where some precincts now have no public facility that can host voting. She told the court some precincts would approach or exceed statutory caps on voters per location and that vendors statewide could be strained to supply the needed additional equipment if many counties reverted from vote centers to precinct-based models. "There's about 100 counties that now use vote centers," she said, adding that the change could be "massive" for vendors and counties.

The elections office also announced that Roosevelt Independent School District will use a single polling site for its school board and bond items: Roosevelt High School gymnasium. Stinson said that arrangement complied with the Secretary of State's office and that voters in Roosevelt ISD must use that site to cast ballots on Roosevelt-specific items; voters may use any vote center for other countywide matters.

Next steps: The resolution does not target specific legislation; the elections office said it will notify the court if bills to eliminate vote centers advance and that there may be opportunities to testify before the Legislature. Stinson said courts and local election officials are watching multiple bills and legislative committee activity this session.