Four early voting sites for the Texas Senate District 9 election will close for much of the weekend due to the below-freezing temperatures and extreme weather expected through Monday, Tarrant County elections officials announced Friday evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The special runoff election will continue as the remaining 18 sites are expected to remain open as scheduled through the weekend unless otherwise announced.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The county elections office is coordinating with the emergency management crews to ensure that voters may cast ballots during the early voting period for the election, Elections Administrator Clint Ludwig told the Fort Worth Report via email Friday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ludwig wrote that the elections office would not close any early voting locations but added that \u201cspecific polling locations may be unavailable due to weather related impacts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just a few hours later, the county elections office posted on social media<\/a> that the following locations are unavailable due to the inclement weather:\u00a0<\/p>\n The county elections office will keep the public \u201cfully informed\u201d if any additional early voting sites become unavailable, Ludwig said. Voters may check the county elections website<\/a> and social media<\/a> for updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ludwig urged voters to practice caution and prioritize their safety during the winter weather conditions expected Friday night through Monday. He noted that early voting continues until the end of the day Tuesday.<\/p>\n When are polling locations open?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For early voting, times vary:\u00a0<\/p>\n Election Day is Jan. 31, and polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n This isn’t the first time in recent years that severe weather shutters polling sites across Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2024, at least 76 polling places<\/a> across four Texas counties closed after severe storms left hundreds of thousands without electricity, according to The Texas Tribune.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dallas, Denton and Collin counties polling sites closed for a day in 2022<\/a> to keep poll workers and voters off icy roads, according to WFAA.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ludwig advised anyone seeking to vote in-person this weekend to have a plan. Voters can find a polling location near them by inputting their address here<\/a>. The county tracks wait times at polling locations here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Early voting for the high-profile Texas Senate District 9 runoff<\/a> opened Jan. 21 and closes Jan. 27.\u00a0<\/p>\n The race has drawn national attention as two candidates face off for a final round of voting to win the Senate seat representing much of Tarrant County, hailed as the nation\u2019s largest red county but showing signs of a purple trend.\u00a0<\/p>\n Voters may check if they live in the district here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ballot features two candidates: Taylor Rehmet<\/a>, a Fort Worth Democrat and union president, and Leigh Wambsganss<\/a>, a Southlake Republican and executive with Patriot Mobile, the conservative wireless cell phone provider.\u00a0<\/p>\n The runoff was triggered when neither candidate won more than 50% of votes in the three-way race in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whoever wins the runoff will serve the remainder of former Sen. Kelly Hancock\u2019s term, which runs through the end of the year. Hancock resigned last summer to become acting state comptroller.\u00a0<\/p>\n A little more than 24,000 voters cast ballots in-person during the first two days of early voting, according to the county elections office.\u00a0<\/p>\n About 119,000 Tarrant voters cast ballots in the November election that featured the Senate District 9 race<\/a> and 17 constitutional amendments.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whoever wins the runoff must seek reelection in November to remain in office for the next legislative session in 2027.<\/p>\n The race has still garnered national attention as Republicans seek to maintain control of Tarrant County and Democrats hope to drive a blue wave. Political analysts previously told the Fort Worth Report the runoff outcome could drive new political momentum<\/a> and impact midterm results in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n Janet Mattern, president of the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, said she\u2019s hopeful the weather doesn\u2019t impact turnout. The league is a nonpartisan organization devoted to increasing civic engagement and voter education.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mattern noted that past North Texas elections saw county officials extend the early voting period or increase hours of operation at polling sites to make up for weather closures. She hopes that Tarrant officials follow suit.<\/p>\n \u201cI would think that if our county elections and county government are doing their job, that we would make sure that there\u2019s every opportunity to make sure everybody who wants to vote has that opportunity,\u201d Mattern said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: This article was updated Jan. 23 after officials announced four polling sites closed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. 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