After Johnson and local advocates rallied to protect voting access, Tarrant County Commissioners tabled their proposal to cut 140 polling locations until September
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Today, Tarrant County commissioners tabled their proposal to eliminate 140 polling locations — a 45% cut that would have slashed the county’s voting sites from 316 to just 176 ahead of the midterms.
The decision comes after Democratic Attorney General nominee Nathan Johnson joined Tarrant County advocates to speak against the plan. Johnson also spoke directly to voters outside the Commissioners Court.
In response to what many are calling a victory, State Senator Nathan Johnson (SD-16), the Democratic nominee for Attorney General, released the following statement:
“This is a preliminary victory for all voters in Tarrant County. The Commissioners heard directly from Tarrant County residents, and backed away from their ill-considered proposal. Perhaps they realized that it was the wrong direction in terms of both policy and politics. It’s a refreshing change and a reassuring turn of events to see that, sometimes, showing up and making your voice heard does make a difference.
“But let’s be clear about what happened here today: this proposal wasn’t defeated, it was delayed. It’s tabled until September, which means the same Court that tried to close 140 polling places today could try again in a few weeks. The integrity of our elections and the legitimacy of the power of elected officials is on the line.
“As the next Texas Attorney General, I take election integrity and the legitimate exercise of power very seriously. I will stand with the people of Tarrant County, and everywhere else in Texas, to ensure that voters’ ability to cast their ballot is not compromised by a political strategy to maintain power.”
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