Commissioners reject election equipment move
CONROE, Texas – The Montgomery County Commissioners Court reached a stalemate on Tuesday regarding the proposed relocation of the county’s election equipment, ultimately voting to push the controversial decision until after the upcoming November 7 general election.
The proposal, introduced by Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray, sought to transfer all voting machines and election hardware from the custody of County Clerk Laura Norris to the recently acquired Elections Administrator’s facility at 200 Riverwood Drive. The plan received backing from County Judge Mark Keough and Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Walker, who argued that the Riverwood building—a former Texas Workforce Commission site purchased by the county for $5.3 million in April—was better suited for the task. Proponents of the move emphasized that the facility offers superior climate-controlled storage and enhanced security infrastructure for high-stakes election technology.
However, the plan faced stiff resistance from Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack. The dissenters questioned the logistical wisdom of shifting sensitive equipment just weeks before a general election. Beyond the operational concerns, the debate exposed a growing friction within county leadership, as Commissioners openly discussed the long-standing professional rivalry between County Clerk Laura Norris and Elections Administrator Suzie Harvey.
The current system has been in place since January 2022, when Norris moved the equipment to a dedicated building on FM 2854, formerly used as a Justice of the Peace office. Under the proposal discussed Tuesday, the county would have been required to spend an additional $25,000 to construct a secure internal cage at the Riverwood location. Furthermore, internal budget projections indicated that storing ballots and sensitive documents would require an additional $12,500 outlay for a three-year lease on vacant office space, an expense critics argued was unnecessary given the existing infrastructure under the Clerk’s purview.
In response to the mounting tension, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack motioned to table the discussion entirely to ensure the integrity and stability of the November 7 vote. The motion, which passed unanimously, mandates that the court will revisit the potential move in January 2024.
By delaying the decision, the court effectively maintains the status quo through the end of the calendar year. County officials have indicated that the transition period in January will provide an opportunity to conduct a more thorough audit of the facilities and reconcile the budgetary concerns raised during Tuesday's meeting.
The Montgomery County Elections Department encourages residents to visit the official county website at mctx.org/elections for information regarding early voting dates, polling locations, and sample ballots as the November 7 election date approaches.