Tarrant County commissioners voted against a proposal to reinstate 37 polling locations for the November general election, upholding earlier cuts that reduced polling sites by more than 100.
Democratic commissioners proposed reinstating some Election Day sites, but the court twice voted 3-2 against the measure, along party lines.
Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons said, “This is not about politics, this is about doing the right thing for the people who put us here,” according to KERA News.
Although Simmons framed the debate as nonpartisan, she has previously engaged in partisan disputes.
In June, Simmons made headlines when she gave County Judge Tim O’Hare the middle finger after he cut off her filibuster during a redistricting meeting, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Republican commissioners argue that reducing polling sites saves taxpayer dollars and maintains adequate coverage for voters across the county.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, commissioners voted 3-2 earlier this month to cut the number of early voting sites for the November election, citing taxpayer savings.
The original plan sought to cut 51 early voting sites used last year down to 24. After debate and amendments, the final plan raised the number to 33. A separate proposal to reduce Election Day polling sites from 349 to 214 is still pending.
Democrats countered that the reductions would hurt voters in urban and minority communities, where lines are already longer and access can be more difficult. Simmons said voter participation depends on access, and trimming locations discourages residents who may not have reliable transportation.
Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare said the reductions aimed to save nearly $1 million during a historically low-turnout, nonpresidential year, adding that the plan balances fiscal responsibility with maintaining sufficient voting access, KERA News reported.