The Dallas County Republican Party recently voted to revert to counting voter ballots by hand, pending funding and manpower.
That decision does not apply to Democrat primary voters beyond creating separate primary elections, which could affect polling locations.
Separate elections costs the county and the Party more money. They require logistical planning, more election workers and approved facilities.
Clerks required for secure counting must be paid, and a secure, separate space is required for the ballot-counting
Party chair Allen West was not immediately available to comment.
Democratic Party chair Kardal Coleman said reverting to an archaic and faulty system to count votes is the wrong direction and confuses voters.
"The direct effect is that it cancels out the option or ability to have a joint primary, and that's something that we've done successfully as both parties together combined over the past couple of years," Coleman said. "I think that was something that was fiscally responsible. We saved the county, plenty of money, save our taxpayers plenty money. And also it was less confusing for voters when we have the process of a joint primary."
Coleman said "that looks like it's off the table now that the Republicans have decided that they want to hand count."
He said he plans to meet with West to discuss the next steps.
Coleman said the Democratic Party will not entertain counting ballots by hand.
"We're going to use technology and have trust and faith in the individuals who work in the election department and staff and volunteers."
New county elections administrator Paul Adams begins work on Oct. 1. He was unanimously chosen by the county's bipartisan election commission.
Adams said "nearly immediately" he will focus on whether the county will shift away from joint primary elections.
"It is one of my priorities to investigate this and make that determination of how this is going to play out, the feasibility of it," he said. "I think it's important to understand, obviously, the political parties have a legal authority to be involved in this process, and I want to respect their legal authority to be involved with the process, but I also want to make sure that the process is done in a way that is going to ensure the voter's voice is heard and the process is done correctly."
The Republican Party is calling for workers and volunteers to help in the hand-counting effort.
Executing a conceptual plan for hand-counting and holding separate primaries requires extra funding and staffing.
That's a point some concerned Republican Party members brought up during a meeting earlier this month when the measure passed.
Those members who spoke up were heckled by other members.
The proposition to hand-count ballots failed by one vote in the last election cycle.
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