Plan to cut number of polling sites in a major Texas county draws protests as Senate race looms

A plan in Tarrant County, Texas, to reduce the number of polling locations by over 90 sites for the November midterm elections has sparked protests from Democrats. The proposal, set for a vote, aims to save resources by closing low-turnout sites, but advocates argue it could cause confusion and disproportionately affect minority voters.

Tarrant County, home to more than 2 million people, is a crucial battleground in the U.S. Senate race between Democratic Rep. James Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Talarico urged the county to reject the proposal, stating that powerful people in the county and country do not want easy voting. The plan would result in 92 fewer polling locations than in the 2022 midterms.

The county prioritizes keeping locations near bus stops open to ensure accessibility. Texas law allows counties to decide on the number of polling places, and Tarrant County adopted countywide voting in 2019 but did not immediately reduce the number of sites. Critics, including the NAACP and ACLU, argue the reductions could suppress voter turnout, particularly in areas with high concentrations of minority voters.