Voters line up outside the Arlington south service center on Monday, Oct. 19, the first day of early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm election.
Rachel Royster
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The first day of early voting drew 50,409 voters in Tarrant County, drawing more people than the first day of early voting in Texas’ last midterm election, but not meeting the levels in 2024.
Day one of early voting was marked by long lines at polling places across Tarrant County, as voters turned out in droves to vote in high-profile U.S. Senate and Texas governor races that are headlining this year’s election cycle. Tarrant County’s wait time tracker frequently showed waits lasting more 45 minutes. In Saginaw, one voter told the Star-Telegram she waited two hours to cast her ballot early.
Early voting runs through Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.
The number of early voters didn’t double the turnout numbers seen in 2022, but it was 73% more compared to that year’s midterm.
There were 29,194 people who cast ballots in person on the first day of early voting in the 2022 midterm, according to Tarrant County Elections Administration. That year, the race between Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto O’Rourke topped the ticket.
In 2024, there were 58,587 day one early voters in Tarrant County. The presidential race between former Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and President Donald Trump, a Republican, headlined the election.
There are 1.37 million registered voters in Texas, compared to 1.3 million in 2024 and 1.26 million in 2022.
This year’s election features a competitive race for U.S. Senate between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, as well as a close-watched race for Texas governor between Republican incumbent Greg Abbott and Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Polls slow slim margins in several statewide contests, including the gubernatorial race.
The Euless Family Life Senior Center was the busiest on the first day of in-person early voting with 1,803 voters, according to Tarrant County Elections Administration.
The Northside Community Center in Fort Worth was the slowest, with 493 people casting ballots at the polling place.
Busiest day one polling places in Tarrant County
These locations saw the most voters on Oct. 19.
Euless Family Life Senior Center (1,803)Southlake Town Hall (1,752)Dionne Phillips Bagsby Southwest Subcourthouse in Fort Worth (1,716)Grapevine Public Library (1,655)Keller Town Hall (1,604)Tarrant County polling places with the fewest voters
These locations saw the fewest voters on Oct. 19.
Northside Community Center in Fort Worth (493)Everman Civic Center (495)Diamond Hill/Jarvis Branch Library in Fort Worth (533)Town of Westlake Fire-EMS Department (587)Charles F. Griffin Building in Fort Worth (593)
This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 10:49 AM.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
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