Voting in Dallas County may become more difficult on the March 3 primary day.
That’s because the county Republican Party is requiring precinct-based voting on that day for its voters, a move that under state law likely forces Democrats to abandon countywide vote centers as well.
County officials openly fretted about the confusion the abrupt change could bring for voters, who have been accustomed to casting ballots at any location for seven years.
“The logistics continue to be a nightmare,” said County Commissioner Elba Garcia.
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Because early voting falls under the purview of the elections department, the shift will not apply to that period that begins Feb. 17, when Texans start picking nominees for federal, state and local offices.
County Elections Administrator Paul Adams told the Commissioners Court Tuesday that an operational contract Republicans finalized Dec. 31 consents to Democrats using countywide voting on March 3 only if they get written approval from the secretary of state, which he said is unlikely.
Adams said he is preparing a robust outreach campaign to launch in February to alert voters to the coming change.
The prospect of forcing voters back to precinct-only polling locations alarmed some county leaders.
“I’m not on the ballot,” said County Commissioner John Wiley Price, “but this is the most important election that I’ve seen in my 41 years as an elected official, and I’m worried about everybody else on the ballot because I just don’t need confusion.”
Jennifer Taylor holds up her “I Voted in Dallas County Sticker” after voting during the First Day of Early voting at the Lakewood Branch Library in Dallas on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
In late 2025, the GOP moved to hold a separate primary from Democrats to hand-count ballots and utilize precinct-based voting on Election Day. Republicans abandoned the hand count plan on Dec. 30 after failing to recruit enough workers but affirmed its decision to hold precinct-based voting on primary day.
County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said the county is unlikely to receive permission for Democrats to use countywide voting, citing a recent call with Secretary of State Jane Nelson and her senior elections staff.
A spokesman for Nelson confirmed that officials told Jenkins the election code bars one party from using countywide vote centers if the other relies on precincts.
Jenkins said state officials also warned the arrangement could invite legal challenges from losing candidates.
Adams said the deadline for the parties to get the written permission from the state is Jan. 16, and because that is unlikely to happen, he expects precinct voting will be required for both parties.
He said he is still working with the parties to finalize locations for Election Day by Jan. 16, probably using about 250 precincts.
“It’s going to be very confusing as this has not happened in the county in a number of years,” Adams said.
In a text message to The News, Republican chair Allen West said the party’s contract was negotiated transparently and “no one ever mentioned confusion during contract negotiations.”
“How best to vote in America than in our own neighborhoods, which reduces the opportunity for fraudulent activity,” West said.
Democratic Chair Kardal Coleman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
County Commissioner Andrew Sommerman stressed the need for navigators on primary day who could direct voters to their assigned precincts if they show up at the wrong location.
Adams said the department has a budget of $300,000 for outreach that can be used for the communications campaign ahead of March 3.
Price worried that amount will not be enough, but Assistant County Administrator Charles Reed said he could confer with the budget department to secure more resources.
Voting shifts
What changed: Republicans chose precinct-based voting for the March 3 primary day, triggering a likely countywide rollback for both parties under state law.
Why it matters: After seven years of vote-anywhere convenience, voters may face fewer locations and more confusion on March 3.
What stays the same: Early voting, starting Feb. 17, will remain countywide, and the county is planning a major outreach push to warn voters.