Community members gather outside of the Tarrant County Corrections Center to raise awareness and demand justice after four people died in 11 days in custody or immediately after being released from the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Fort Worth.
Abigail Dollins
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
A coalition of progressive activist groups are holding a series of events to voice their opposition to the proposed polling location cut Tarrant County Commissioners Court will discuss Tuesday morning. They will also speak out against the proposed budget and roughly 80 deaths in the county’s jail custody.
Only the budget and polling locations will be among the numerous Commissioners Court agenda items.
Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, to determine if the suggested decrease of voting sites will be used for the Nov. 3 midterm election. Though more than originally proposed at the hectic Aug. 4 meeting, Tarrant County may see nearly a third of the Election Day sites and a few early voting locations slashed compared to the 2022 midterm.
The coalition includes 30 organizations, many of which resisted the original voting site cuts.
Democrats Commissioner Alisa Simmons, of Arlington, and state Rep. James Talarico, of Austin, have both decried the second proposed reduction as an effort to lower voter access.
The Tuesday morning protests will start at 8:30 a.m. outside the Tarrant County Jail in downtown Fort Worth on West Belknap Street, near Lamar Street, where a similar rally took place in July.
Participants will march through downtown to the east entrance of the Tarrant County Courthouse around 9 a.m. The coalition’s press conference will take place then, likely discussing the jail deaths, budget and polling locations.
Afterward, the Tarrant County Democratic Party will host a second press conference at 9:45 a.m. in front of the Tarrant County Administration Building. Polling locations will be the primary topic.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Rachel Royster is a news and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, specifically focused on Tarrant County. She joined the newsroom after interning at the Austin American-Statesman, the Waco Tribune-Herald and Capital Community News in DC. A Houston native and Baylor grad, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading and being outside. She welcomes any and all news tips to her email.