Setting the standard: Dallas County GOP leads the way on hand-counted ballots
An exclusive insider look at the fight for election integrity
Report | By Easton Martin | September 18, 2025
The Dallas County Republican Party has voted to hand-count all ballots cast in the upcoming March primary election. Party officials approved a plan to use precinct-based hand counting instead of relying on electronic tabulation machines.
The decision makes Dallas County one of the largest jurisdictions in the nation to adopt a full hand-counting method for a primary. Party leaders, including Chair Allen B. West, supported the move, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accuracy in the process. The March 3 primary will be the first election in Dallas County conducted entirely by hand count if all goes to plan.
Dee Holley, executive director for the Dallas County Republican Party, spoke to LindellTV regarding the push for hand-counted ballots at the upcoming primary election:
“We’ve gotten a lot done in a short amount of time. About three months ago, after our last municipal elections, I asked Colonel West (Dallas GOP party chair) if we can start thinking about a hand count of paper ballots, and he said, ‘Absolutely, let’s get a task force.’ So we did. And they have been moving and shaking, let me tell you, because we know that in Dallas County, the chances of us ever really winning are slim to none.”
“You know, one of the problems we have in Dallas is people just don’t vote in municipal elections. So, what happens is we basically have the inmates running the asylum, is the way I like to say it. I know that sounds harsh, but it is.”
“We should be setting the standard for the nation. It used to be that way. And we’re determined, we’re determined to make that happen again. But 20, 30 years of not paying attention has taken a big toll on Dallas County. Especially Dallas proper. And I just know that if we don’t get this fixed, we’re never going to win again in Dallas County. And that’s why it was so critically important for us to get hand-counted paper ballots approved by our precinct chairs, by our CEC meeting, and by our county executive committee.”
“It’s not going to be easy. Hopefully, we’ll be able to pull it off, but if we don’t, we’re going to give it our best.”
Why does Dallas so desperately need election reform? In the November 2024 Dallas 5th Court of Appeals election, attorney Matt Kolodoski was initially declared the winner on November 5th, consistent with other election results. Regarding the election, Dee said, “Well, guess what? On November 15th, the elections department renegued and said, ‘No, you didn’t win.’ So all of a sudden, all these mail-in ballots come in, and he loses by 1,600 votes because of Dallas County.” This sudden reversal underscores concerns about the transparency and reliability of Dallas County’s election process.
While the Dallas GOP has decided to move forward with hand-counting, there is still important work to be done to ensure that the process goes smoothly. “Now the big work starts,” says Holley. “You know, now we have to get the funding. Now we have to make sure that we have four or five thousand people to volunteer.”
What Dee Holley and other local conservatives are doing is what is needed in the first steps for implementing true election integrity. The Dallas County GOP’s move to require hand-counting all ballots in the March 2026 primary mirrors the directive of President Trump, shifting away from machine tabulation and toward a process rooted in transparency. The executive order by the President begins the process of accountability, but deep reform is needed on the ground in heavily blue cities like Dallas.
What we have now is a refreshing change: a President who is fighting for election integrity, someone who works with local grassroots supporters instead of against them. From the highest office in the country, to city GOP officials, and even small donors and volunteers, the fight for election integrity requires effort from all levels.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, one of the nation’s foremost proponents of election security and hand-counted paper ballots, highlighted the importance of what is in progress at the Dallas GOP:
“It’s great to have Dallas as a proof of concept for hand-counting paper ballots, we need to go to hand-counting to win, especially before the primaries. I’ve spoken with the President, and he wants to do away with the machines as well.”
The fight for election integrity isn’t solved by one person; it requires many, and that begins with one of the largest blue cities in the country.
The Dallas County GOP is currently accepting volunteer sign-ups at https://dallasgop.org/handcount/
