The Dallas County Republican Party is moving forward with its plan to conduct the March 2026 GOP primary entirely with hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots, a major departure from the county’s longstanding use of electronic voting systems. Party officials say they are now seeking roughly 200 additional volunteers and approximately $100,000 in funding to finalize staffing and logistics for the election.
The GOP effort follows a series of documented issues previously confirmed by the Dallas County Elections Department involving digital poll books, ballot-marking devices, ballot printers, and reconciliation reports. Party organizers say those concerns prompted them to pursue a system rooted in paper records and manual tallying.
According to the Dallas County Republican Party, the following issues were previously confirmed by the Dallas County Elections Department:
- Digital poll books that recorded unexplained vote total spikes after polls closed
- On-demand ballot machines that issued incorrect ballots to voters
- Ballot-marking devices that selected candidates other than those chosen
- Voting reports that failed to reconcile with ballots cast
- Chain-of-custody lapses involving ballot handling
Organizers argue that these failures warrant a return to what they describe as a transparent, verifiable election system conducted under direct party oversight.
Party Approved Hand Count After September Vote
The Texas Election Code grants political parties control over the administration of their own primaries. Dallas County GOP officials say that authority — combined with the operational issues observed in past cycles — led them to formally approve a hand-count process in September.
Dallas County Precinct Chair Melissa Katz, who discussed the decision publicly, said the move reflected broad support within the party and a desire for greater control over the primary process.
Katz said the party moved decisively after reviewing its authority under state law.
“We decided back in September — the Dallas County Republican Party, almost unanimously. The Texas Election Code says only the party can be in charge of the primary, so we decided to have a task force put together, and we are going to do hand-counted paper ballots in the March primary 2026,” said Melissa Katz, a Dallas County Precinct Chair.
She continued, “That’s key because the primary is where grassroots activists take ownership of the process. But we need volunteers, and we need money.”
President Donald Trump referenced the effort in a Truth Social post on December 2, praising the Dallas County GOP for “going to all PAPER BALLOTS” in the 2026 primary. The change applies only to the Republican primary; Dallas County’s elections department will continue to use its existing voting equipment for the Democratic primary.
Additional Comments From Project Leaders
Stan Woodward, the Hand Count Project Director, told The Dallas Express the initiative has drawn growing grassroots interest and is built around a process the group believes can deliver transparency and accountability.
“It is time that we have truly auditable elections. We have assembled a world-class talented team and we are leveraging a proven hand counting process,” Woodward told The Dallas Express. “We are delighted to have President Trump’s support.
We now need help from Dallas residents. We need volunteers to sign up today and we need financial contributions to make this possible.”
Melissa Katz also emphasized the role of community participation in the effort.
“The grassroots are leading this!” Katz told The Dallas Express.
Implementation Will Require Large Workforce
Executing a full hand-count for a large county will require dozens of counting teams, trained clerks, judges, and support staff across both precinct-level operations and centralized tally rooms. Party officials say training sessions and mock-count exercises are expected to begin in early 2026.
The Dallas GOP is directing interested volunteers to DallasGOP.org/handcount, where residents can sign up for roles in ballot counting, oversight, and logistical support.
Next Steps
Organizers say the key challenges now are manpower and funding, with the goal of fully staffing all precinct-level operations ahead of the March 2026 primary.
Residents wishing to participate in the hand-count process or support the effort financially can visit DallasGOP.org/handcount for more information.
