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Council approves joint election agreements; members demand stronger vendor dispute protections after November problems
Summary
The council authorized joint election agreements and services contracts for the May 3, 2025 general election, including a Dallas County contract not to exceed $1,183,310.75. Council members and the city secretary pressed county officials and proposed audit methodology after November poll-book failures.
Dallas City Council on Feb. 26 approved a set of joint-election agreements and election-services contracts to cover the May 3, 2025 election, including a Dallas County bill not to exceed $1,183,310.75 for services and legal advertising. The action included smaller agreements for Collin County ($25,000) and Denton County ($18,000).
Council members used the item’s discussion to press city staff and the county for assurances after widespread problems during the November election related to electronic poll books. City Secretary Billy Ray Johnson briefed council that Dallas County contracted with a new vendor (Snow Inc.) for electronic poll books on Feb. 11 and that county staff have represented they addressed the November vendor issues. Johnson said the county agreed to a dispute methodology and that the city can provide its own methodology for assessing damages including intangible losses such as voter disenfranchisement.
Council members sought stronger remedies in the county contract and asked that the city’s auditors and city attorney be involved if the city needs to dispute charges tied to service failures. Councilmember Paul Ridley asked whether a liquidated-damages clause had been negotiated; Johnson said the city was unsuccessful in obtaining a liquidated-damages clause because the contract covers many jurisdictions and the county was not comfortable setting pre-determined damage amounts, but staff did secure language that allows jurisdictions to submit an agreed methodology for calculating damages.
Councilmembers also asked whether staff would participate in pre-election equipment and ballot testing. Johnson said county officials planned programming tests in March and the city would send auditors and attorneys to observe. The council approved the Dallas County contract, and the city secretary said the county has up to 180 days to submit a final bill for the November election that remains under review.
Why it matters: The item funds the city’s share of joint election administration for dozens of jurisdictions; council members demanded more contract protections and audit involvement after last season’s electronic-poll-book failures to limit disenfranchisement and financial exposure.
