Voting in El Paso County, Texas, experienced disruptions on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, as some polling locations encountered issues with electronic check-in systems, known as “poll pads.” The El Paso County Elections Department confirmed that the malfunctions prompted a shift to manual voter check-in procedures at affected sites, resulting in delays for some voters.
According to Lisa Wise, the El Paso County Elections Administrator, the poll pad problems did not affect the voting machines themselves, which remained operational throughout the day. “Voting machines were working, people can go and vote, and all voting sites are open,” Wise stated, as reported by KFOX14/CBS4. The primary issue centered on the inability of the poll pads to properly verify voter identity and allow selection of a party affiliation, a requirement for participation in the Texas primary election.
To mitigate the delays, election workers implemented a workaround utilizing state-issued combination forms provided by the Texas Secretary of State. These forms served as both a signature roster and an affidavit for voters, allowing them to cast ballots despite the electronic system failures. The El Paso County Elections Department acknowledged the situation on its Facebook page, informing voters that manual check-in was necessary at some locations and advising them that they could vote at any polling site within the county, regardless of their precinct.
The Elections Department similarly communicated with the vendor responsible for the poll pads to identify the cause of the malfunctions and implement a solution. Wise recommended that voters check waiting times at various polling locations online before heading to the polls. KTSM reported that voters at locations experiencing poll pad issues were still able to vote, but the manual check-in process added extra time to the process.
While the issues caused some inconvenience, officials emphasized that the integrity of the election was not compromised. The El Paso County Elections Department expressed gratitude for the patience of voters as they worked to resolve the check-in delays. Voters had the option of utilizing any of the 124 voting centers available throughout the county on Election Day, providing increased flexibility and potentially reducing wait times.
