Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Voting rights groups are asking a judge to enforce a 2021 settlement aimed at providing reliable online registration through DPS.

The threat was initiated by one main suspect and several co-conspirators. Texas DPS officials said they worked with the FBI and local law enforcement to arrest the main suspect, Benny Caldera Jr., around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

The Lubbock County Elections Office received a backlog of more than 7,500 voter registrations due to a technical error with the Department of Public Safety's online registration portal. Lubbock County's new Elections Administrator, Troy Havard, assures voters the backlog will not delay or affect anyone's ability to vote in the November general election when early voting begins on Oct. 19.

It's not known how many applications have been unprocessed. Counties will receive a backlogged surge less than two weeks before the Oct. 5 deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election.

Law enforcement agencies from across the country search the DPS Flock database once every four seconds, on average. After the Tribune inquired, DPS said it will limit which agencies can access the network.

Some government officials said they understand the community's anger, but warn that many of these contracts fall outside their jurisdiction.

Nelson's office oversees elections. Abbott appointed her to the role in 2023 after she became the longest-serving Republican woman in Texas Senate history.

The policy change, which does not affect the skills tests already conducted only in English, comes amid a federal crackdown on noncitizen truck drivers.

The Secretary of State's Office didn't initially check with the Department of Public Safety, which collects proof of citizenship from people who register to vote through them.

It comes two days after Gov. Greg Abbott declared the two were foreign terrorist groups.