Alberto Govea with League of United Latin American Citizens speaks against proposed cuts of polling places outside of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026 in Fort Worth.
Abigail Dollins
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Four Tarrant County voters of color allege the decision to cut 92 polling sites for the Nov. 3 midterm election disenfranchises voters, violates election code and “intentionally treats Black and Hispanic voters unequally.”
Plaintiffs Deborah Peoples, outside of her capacity as a Fort Worth council member, Maryellen Hicks, Kathleen Hicks and Camille Rodriguez are suing Tarrant County, the elections administrator and the Republican members of the commissioners court.
On Sept. 1, county commissioners approved a 29% cut to the Election Day polling location list from the 2022 election to the 2026 election. The three Republican members — County Judge Tim O’Hare and Commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez — were in favor of the cut. Democrat Commissioners Roderick Miles and Alisa Simmons opposed it.
Elections Administrator Clint Ludwig told the commissioners court that his office reached out to the 479 locations that held voting in 2022 and 2024. Only 269 sites were able and willing to host voting again this election, but the list was unequal across the county precincts, criteria created by a 2019 citizen advisory committee. Ludwig also said he adjusted the list to ensure there were not any two locations too close together, which was requested by O’Hare and Krause.
There were about 105 public commenters who agreed with Miles and Simmons’ objections to the cuts. Ten public commenters agreed with the Republicans on the dais.
The lawsuit, filed Friday morning in the Tarrant County District Court, requests an expedited hearing, a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction. It also demands that 92 polling locations be restored.
Nick Maddux, O’Hare’s campaign strategist, pointed out that the commissioners court a month earlier had unilaterally rejected a larger proposed cut to the polling locations list saying it was too drastic. They requested more voting sites be added to give voters “ample ability” to cast a ballot, which Maddux said was achieved with the approved list.
“This is a clear political stunt by failing far left Democrats who want to sow chaos and baseless lies into our community,” he said of the lawsuit.
There are 32 days until Election Day. Early voting begins Oct. 19 and ends Oct. 30.
This story was originally published October 2, 2026 at 4:28 PM.
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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.