Tarrant County Closes 92 Polling Sites Ahead of Midterms
Tarrant County Commissioners Court reduced polling locations by 30%, sparking accusations of voter suppression in minority areas despite a surge in early voting turnout.
The Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted in September to close 92 polling stations for the 2026 midterm elections, reducing the total number of sites from 316 in 2022 to 224. The cuts include a student voting site at the University of Texas at Arlington and several locations in majority-minority areas within Fort Worth and Arlington.
Republican officials, including County Judge Tim O'Hare and Commissioner Matt Krause, defended the decision as a move to eliminate wasteful clustering and ensure the efficient use of resources. Conversely, Democratic Commissioner Roderick Miles, Jr. and voter-rights groups argue the closures disproportionately impact poor communities of color. An ABC News analysis indicated that 40% of the closures occurred in 21 ZIP codes where more than 75% of residents are non-white.
The closures occur as Tarrant County has shifted from a Republican stronghold to a battleground, particularly regarding the U.S. Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton. In response, the NAACP's Tarrant County-Fort Worth chapter launched a phone banking campaign and partnered with Trinity Metro to provide free transportation to the polls.
Despite the reduction in sites, early voting turnout in the first week was 63% higher than in 2022, although some voters reported long wait times.
