Plan to cut polling sites in major Texas county draws protests as Senate battle looms
Summary
Tarrant County in Texas plans to reduce the number of polling locations for the November midterm elections by 92 sites compared to 2022. County officials say the cutbacks focus on low-turnout sites and improve efficiency, but some Democrats worry the reductions could make voting harder in this key Senate race area.Key Facts
- Tarrant County is one of Texas’ largest counties with over 2 million residents, including the city of Fort Worth.
- The plan would reduce polling places to just over 200 locations, eliminating sites with few voters.
- The proposal is scheduled for a vote on Tuesday.
- Democrats, including state Rep. James Talarico, oppose the plan, saying it might confuse voters or make voting more difficult.
- County officials say the changes prioritize accessible sites near bus stops and keep polling locations about 1.5 miles apart on average.
- The reduction is partly due to difficulties in recruiting poll workers and a shift toward countywide voting sites since 2019.
- Texas law allows each county to decide how many polling places to have.
- Republican leaders say the goal is not to suppress voting but to save resources by removing redundant or low-use sites.
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