Tarrant County Residents Urged to Make Their Voices Heard on Voting Access

DALLAS, TX —  Tarrant County is growing. But instead of making it easier for more people to vote, county leaders are considering making access to the ballot harder. A new proposal would cut Election Day voting locations by nearly one-third, from 316 to 224. On Tuesday 9/1, the Commissioners Court will consider how many Election Day voting locations the county will provide for the November election, after officials initially proposed cutting locations from 316 to 176, a reduction of almost half. The decision was delayed after commissioners heard from residents and community advocates, but the process continues to raise serious questions about whether Tarrant County is keeping up with the needs of its growing population.

“Tarrant County is growing, and its approach to voting should grow with it. The answer to a growing electorate is not fewer places to vote and more obstacles for people trying to participate in our democracy. Tarrant County should be making voting more accessible, not asking working families, and seniors to scramble just to cast a ballot,” said Kendall Scudder, Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. “For some voters, one less polling place means nothing more than a longer drive. For others, it can mean missing work, waiting for a bus that doesn't run often enough, or depending on a friend or family member for a ride. We should be designing our elections around the realities of people's lives, not making people rearrange their lives around irrational political decisions,” said Shay Wyrick Cathey, State Party Vice Chair.

The Texas Democratic Party encourages Tarrant County residents to participate in Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting and make their voices heard about the future of voting access in their community. Tarrant County is one of the fastest-growing parts of Texas and should be looking toward the future by expanding convenient Vote Center access and making it easier for residents to cast a ballot wherever they are in the county during the day.