Tarrant County reduces polling locations by 92 for November election

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to approve 224 polling locations for the November 3 midterm election, a reduction of 92 sites from the 2022 count of 316. The decision, made by the three Republican commissioners—County Judge Tim O'Hare, Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez—was opposed by the two Democratic commissioners, Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles Jr., who voted against the plan.

County elections administrator Clint Ludwig, who drafted the proposal, said the cuts were intended to "concentrate locations where voters choose to vote and where facilities best meet ADA accessibility and operational standards" and expressed confidence that the plan would allow all voters to cast ballots. O'Hare added that the new layout averages 2.85 miles between early-voting sites and 1.56 miles between Election-Day sites, eliminating what he described as "wasteful practice of placing polling sites directly across the street from one another."

Critics argued that eliminating familiar neighborhood sites, including the University of Texas at Arlington, could make voting less convenient for residents with limited transportation. Demetria McCain, director of policy at the Legal Defense Fund, called the proposal "a voter suppression tactic designed to impede Black voters and other voters of color." Emeri Callaway, vice president of the Tarrant County Young Democrats, urged the court to add locations rather than cut them, saying it should not be a partisan issue. Simmons said the move was "about power" and politically motivated, noting that she is running against O'Hare for the county judge seat.

Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, has become increasingly competitive in recent elections, with narrow margins between Democratic and Republican candidates in recent presidential and congressional races. Early voting is scheduled for October 19-30, with the registration deadline on October 5.