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Tarrant County Commissioners Approve Plan to Reduce Election Day Polling Locations by 30 Percent

Tarrant County officials approved a plan to reduce the number of Election Day polling locations by 92 compared to the 2022 midterm elections. The move will leave 224 polling sites available for the 1.3 million registered voters in the county. Republican commissioners voted in favor of the measure, arguing that the reduction will consolidate resources and eliminate low-turnout sites. Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare stated that the plan meets statutory requirements and avoids the wasteful practice of placing polling sites directly across the street from one another. Democrats opposed the measure, alleging that the cuts will disproportionately affect low-income and minority communities. Democratic commissioners Alisa Simmons and Rodrick Miles Jr. argued that the legal minimum of polling locations should not be the moral standard for a voter's opportunity to access the ballot. Public outcry and protests from residents occurred during the meeting. Some voters expressed concern that the reduction will create longer commutes and lines. The Tarrant County Democratic Party will provide free rides to polling locations on election day to help mitigate the impact of the cuts.

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