Tarrant County voters file lawsuit over reduction of polling places

A group of Tarrant County voters filed an emergency lawsuit on Friday challenging the county's plan to operate 224 Election Day voting locations for the November general election, a reduction of 92 sites from the 2022 midterms. The plaintiffs seek an expedited hearing and an injunction that would require the county to revisit the plan before voting begins.

The lawsuit targets a decision approved by the GOP-controlled Commissioners Court in a 3-2 vote, despite opposition from residents and the court's two Democratic commissioners. County Judge Tim O’Hare and Commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez voted in favor of the cuts.

According to the complaint, the closures 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.

The plaintiffs also argue that the county ignored its own criteria for retaining high-traffic sites. They identified 46 locations that saw more than 500 votes on Election Day in 2022, yet were eliminated despite a county rule stating such sites should be kept. > “This isn’t merely a comparison showing that high-use locations were removed. The County’s written rule uses mandatory language: ‘Locations where more than 500 votes were cast on election day will be placed on the keep list.’”

The complaint links the polling-place reductions to a recent redistricting plan that altered the racial composition of commissioner precincts, concentrating Black and Hispanic voters in one precinct. It alleges the county also failed to follow Texas Election Code requirements for adopting a methodology to select voting centers, including soliciting input from minority-voter groups.

Relief sought includes a court order requiring the county to adopt a lawful methodology, obtain the required 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.