Texas Tarrant County Polling Place Closure Challenge

A pro-voting lawsuit challenging Tarrant County’s plan to eliminate dozens of Election Day voting locations ahead of the November 2026 general election.

Background

Four Tarrant County voters filed a lawsuit against Tarrant County, County Judge Tim O’Hare, county commissioners and the county elections administrator. The lawsuit challenges the county’s plan to reduce Election Day voting sites from 316 in 2022 to 224 in 2026, a net reduction of 92 locations. Plaintiffs argue the plan disproportionately harms Black and Hispanic voters by eliminating voting sites in heavily nonwhite ZIP codes, increasing travel burdens, wait times and pressure on remaining sites. They also argue the county failed to follow Texas Election Code requirements for adopting a polling place methodology and soliciting input from organizations or people representing minority voters.

Why It Matters

This outcome of this case could determine whether Tarrant County must restore voting access before the November 2026 general election.

The lawsuit comes after the GOP-controlled Commissioners Court approved the polling place cuts in a 3-2 vote despite opposition from residents and the court’s two Democratic commissioners. 

The case also challenges whether the county ignored its own rules for keeping high-use voting locations open and failed to follow state-law requirements to seek input from people or organizations representing minority voters.

Latest Updates

• Oct. 13, 2026: Hearing scheduled. The court then denied plaintiffs’ request to restore polling sites for the midterms.
• Oct. 2, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their original petition.