Houston County adds audit-board role for election hand counts and approves ballot-on-demand printer

The Houston County Commissioners Court voted Jan. 13 to add an 'Audit Board' role to election staffing and set compensation after Elections Administrator Cindy Lum told the court the change is required under state law (SB 827). The court set pay at $14 per hour and set minimum and maximum work hours at three and 10 hours respectively for the role, which will perform post-election hand count audits and future risk-limiting audits.

Cindy Lum, Elections Administrator, told the court the change is necessary to comply with TEC 127.201(b-1) (post-election hand count audit) and TEC 127.302 (future risk-limiting audits). Commissioner Willie Kitchen moved to add the role and set compensation and hours; Commissioner Gene Stokes seconded and the motion carried 5-0.

Separately, the court approved purchasing a Poll Print ballot-on-demand printer from Knowink LLC. The purchase will use reimbursable 2025 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant funds from the Texas Secretary of State with a 20% match to come from the Election Services fund; the court approved necessary budget amendments. Commissioner Jim Lovell moved for the purchase; Commissioner Kitchen seconded and the motion carried 5-0.

The minutes note that Houston County will be redistricted from U.S. Congressional District 17 (Pete Sessions) to District 10 (Michael McCaul) effective January 2027 and that a joint primary will be held with both parties; deputy early-voting clerks were also designated and provided in the meeting packet.

The court recorded the changes and approved the equipment purchase during the Jan. 13 meeting; the minutes do not specify delivery dates for the printer or implementation timeline for the audit staffing.