Officials in Texas’s Tarrant County voted this week to cut more than 100 polling locations for the 2025 election, a move Democrats denounced as voter suppression while Republicans defended it as cost-saving.
The 3–2 party-line vote reduces Election Day polling sites from 331 to 216 and cuts early voting locations as well. The decision came one day after President Donald Trump vowed to eliminate mail-in ballots nationwide, even though states control election rules.
County Judge Tim O’Hare, who championed the cuts, said the move would make elections “more efficient,” pointing to historically low turnout in nonpresidential years. He has previously raised concerns about election security and cut funding for free bus rides to polling places.
Democrats argued the changes disproportionately impact Black, Hispanic, and student voters. “You’re not saving money. You’re sacrificing democracy to save a buck,” said Sabrina Ball, an election judge. Commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. called the reductions “unacceptable,” noting they target communities of color.
Political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said the cuts reflect a broader GOP trend to “restrain and restrict” voting access. “A confused voter is usually a nonvoter,” he warned.
The county has already redrawn precinct maps mid-decade to favor Republicans, with O’Hare admitting the goal was partisan advantage. Democrats vow to keep challenging the changes in court and at the ballot box.
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