Tarrant County Faces Lawsuit as Activists Challenge Sensible Polling Site Reductions
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A group of voters has filed suit against Tarrant County officials after the Commissioners Court voted to streamline Election Day polling locations, a move critics claim unfairly impacts minority communities and violates election rules.
A group of Tarrant County voters has filed an emergency lawsuit challenging the county’s decision to operate 224 Election Day voting locations for the November general election, a reduction of 92 sites from the 2022 midterms. The plaintiffs are seeking an expedited hearing and an injunction to force the county to revisit its plan before voting begins, despite the county’s efforts to ensure efficient and secure elections.
The lawsuit targets a decision made by the Republican-controlled Commissioners Court, which passed the measure in a 3-2 vote. County Judge Tim O’Hare and Commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez voted in favor of the reduction, standing firm against opposition from residents and the court’s two Democratic commissioners. The move was intended to optimize resources and address logistical challenges, not to disenfranchise voters.
According to the complaint, the closures allegedly place a disproportionate burden on Black and Hispanic communities. In ZIP code 76103, where 78.7% of residents are non-white, all three polling locations used in 2022 were eliminated. In ZIP code 76115, which is 89.3% non-white, four of five sites were removed. However, county officials maintain that the changes were based on objective criteria, not race.
The plaintiffs also argue that the county ignored its own guidelines for retaining high-traffic sites. They claim that 46 locations with more than 500 votes on Election Day in 2022 were eliminated, despite a county rule stating such sites should be kept. The county, however, has the responsibility to balance accessibility with efficiency and security, especially as election integrity remains a top concern.
The complaint attempts to link the polling-place reductions to a recent redistricting plan that altered the racial makeup of commissioner precincts, concentrating Black and Hispanic voters in one precinct. It further alleges the county failed to follow Texas Election Code requirements for adopting a methodology to select voting centers, including soliciting input from minority-voter groups. These claims are part of a broader narrative pushed by activists who routinely challenge common-sense election reforms.
The relief sought includes a court order requiring the county to adopt a new methodology, obtain minority-voter input, and reconsider the 224-site list, as well as restoring the 92 sites removed from the 2022 total. The suit does not seek to cancel the election, but it threatens to undermine the county’s efforts to run a secure and orderly voting process.