During the meeting, several speakers called the cuts a more extreme version of Tarrant County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare\u2019s failed effort to remove eight early voting locations at colleges<\/a> last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n County officials said the move was to save money as they historically see low voter turnout in nonpresidential elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n Along with November Election Day voting locations, the initial list of sites<\/a> reduced the number of early voting places to 24, most of which were located in northeastern suburban neighborhoods and cities outside the 820 Loop, and none of which were located on college campuses. Commissioners ultimately added nine sites for a total of 33 early voting locations, down from 44 two years ago.<\/p>\n Democratic commissioners Roderick Miles Jr. and Alisa Simmons voted against the reduction in voting sites. They also unsuccessfully tried to delay the decision.<\/p>\n Miles and Simmons \u2014 joined by about 40 speakers in attendance who had one minute to make public comments \u2014 decried the reduction of sites.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody deserves the right to have a place that they are comfortable with and familiar with to go and to cast their vote,\u201d said Miles, who represents predominantly Black neighborhoods that saw a reduction in voting locations. He later added, \u201cTo dismantle or take those rights away from us that we worked hard to get is unacceptable at any level.\u201d<\/p>\n Elections Administrator Clinton Ludwig told commissioners that the initially proposed cuts aimed to save about $1 million. He based the reductions on voter turnout in 2023, which saw about 12.5% registered voters cast ballots, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Locations\u2019 accessibility and ability to securely store voting information were also considered, Ludwig said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Simmons said it was inappropriate to reduce voting locations as Tarrant County\u2019s population grows.\u00a0<\/p>\n She pointed out that the Republican members of the court used that growth as a reason to redistrict precincts mid-cycle earlier this year<\/a> \u2014 a redrawing that would significantly increase the chances of a GOP candidate winning election against her in 2026.<\/p>\n Miles said that ensuring accessibility is the court\u2019s responsibility and that the court should be focused on making it easier to vote, not harder.<\/p>\n Electionss administrator defends reductions<\/p>\n Balancing efficiency and access was front of mind for Commissioner Manny Ramirez, he said. He and Commissioner Matt Krause, both Republicans, joined the Democrats to amend the list and add the nine locations. O\u2019Hare was the lone dissenting vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ramirez said that in denser places like central Fort Worth, each neighborhood can feel like a different city, and he doesn\u2019t support cutting established, popular voting locations in them.<\/p>\n \u201cThe formula for where you put these voting sites has to be scientific,\u201d he told the Report on Monday. \u201cIt should be population-based and proximity to additional site-based.\u201d<\/p>\n Ludwig said the scaled-back sites accommodate Tarrant County\u2019s growth while aiming to be efficient. He said no commissioner had any influence on the list and that no partisan analysis was taken into account.\u00a0<\/p>\n He calculated it would take 12 locations across the county to handle the busiest day of early voting, and 80 for Election Day. It costs about $10,300 to run a voting center, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe went back and looked and said, \u2018OK, if 12 (can) handle it, how do we make cuts? How do we make sure we have the best location?\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A new Texas law reduces the county\u2019s minimum Election Day voting locations to 212 <\/a>\u2014 rolling back a 2023 requirement of 347.<\/p>\n Ludwig said the county\u2019s sites meet the state\u2019s new \u201cbare minimum,\u201d with \u201ca little bit of wiggle room\u201d in case certain planned locations fall through.\u00a0<\/p>\n The average distance between locations was 4.5 miles, he said.<\/p>\n Krause told Ludwig he appreciated that the list was \u201cdriven by pure voter turnout\u201d and tried to find the \u201cmost efficient\u201d way to handle the election.<\/p>\n Which early voting centers did commissioners add?<\/p>\n The Tarrant County commissioners reduced the number of early voting locations for November\u2019s election to 33. They initially were set to approve 24 sites but added nine.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fewer locations, fewer voters<\/p>\n Fewer voting sites means fewer voters, Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, told the Report in a Monday interview.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf you move a polling place farther away from someone\u2019s house, then they\u2019re less likely to vote because you\u2019ve increased the cost of voting,\u201d said Rottinghaus, who has studied poll placement and its impact on turnout. \u201cThe cost can be your time. It can be your gas.\u201d<\/p>\n November\u2019s ballot includes several proposed constitutional amendments and a special election in parts of Tarrant County to replace former state Sen. Kelly Hancock<\/a>, a North Richland Hills Republican who left the Legislature to serve as the state\u2019s interim comptroller<\/a>. The Texas Senate District 9 seat represents most of the north and western parts of Tarrant County, including White Settlement, Haltom City and Keller.<\/p>\n Rottinghaus said some counties \u201cyo-yo\u201d year-to-year in the number of polling places they have. Constitutional elections, such as November\u2019s, typically have fewer locations than presidential and midterm elections, he said. Still, Tarrant County\u2019s reduction seems \u201caggressive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Once the number of polling places goes down, it usually stays down, Rottinghaus said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to generally see that same number continue for at least the near term,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Residents speak against cutting voting sites<\/p>\n All but one speaker spoke against the reductions during nearly two hours of public comments.<\/p>\n Sabrina Ball said she has worked as an election judge in Republican County Commissioner Manny Ramirez\u2019s district in Northwest Tarrant County. She\u2019s seen firsthand people working hard to find the time to get to a polling location and vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not saving money. You\u2019re sacrificing democracy to save a buck,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Some said the cuts amounted to creating voting deserts in communities of color.\u00a0<\/p>\n Leon Reed said Republican commissioners will face a \u201cvicious snapback\u201d if they continue to stretch Tarrant County farther to the right.<\/p>\n Fort Worth City Council members speak against the reduction<\/p>\n In the lead-up to the vote, several Fort Worth City Council members urged their constituents to speak against the effort.\u00a0<\/p>\n Council member Carlos Flores, who represents parts of northwest Fort Worth and the Stockyards, including the Northside neighborhood, issued a statement<\/a> against the vote, saying fewer sites negatively impact diverse communities. In a statement to the Report, he added that limited polling locations and inconvenient voting procedures contribute to low turnout.<\/p>\n Mia Hall, who represents southwest Fort Worth and the Como neighborhood, sent a news release<\/a> to her district on Monday, decrying the proposed cuts near Lake Como, Southside and Northside \u2014 all predominantly Black or Hispanic neighborhoods.<\/p>\n \u201cThese communities have long fought for equitable access to the ballot box, and removing their polling locations is simply unacceptable,\u201d Hall wrote. \u201cWhile I understand the pressures of state regulations and budgetary constraints, disenfranchising entire communities is not an acceptable response.\u201d<\/p>\n The last day to register to vote for the November election is Oct. 6, and the last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Oct. 24. Early voting runs from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31.<\/p>\n What\u2019s on the ballot this November?<\/p>\n Texas voters will cast ballots for 17 constitutional amendments passed over the year\u2019s legislative session, including:<\/p>\n In a special election:<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: This story was updated 7:09 p.m. to clarify all but one speaker spoke against the reduction in polling locations during public comments.<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Commissioners-court-10.jpg\")
Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons speaks against reducing polling sites at an Aug. 19, 2025, meeting at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building. (Drew Shaw | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Commissioners-court-2.jpg\")
Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez speaks with county staff before an Aug. 19, 2025, meeting at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building. (Drew Shaw | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n\n
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Tarrant County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare addresses a speaker at an Aug. 19, 2025, Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building. (Drew Shaw | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Goss-6-17-CityCouncil-13.jpg\")
Council member Carlos Flores asks a question June 17, 2025, during a City Council work session at Fort Worth City Hall. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Goss-SpecialMeeting-22.jpg\")
City Council member Mia Hall speaks during a special meeting Aug. 5, 2025, at Fort Worth City Hall. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n\n
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