![\"Talarico](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Talarico-Tarrant-Press-Conf-Austin-Wood-e1788190162519.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA recent UT Austin poll reported Talarico leading Paxton by three points in the Senate race.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA recent UT Austin poll reported Talarico leading Paxton by three points in the Senate race.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Austin Wood<\/p>\n
Standing outside of a former polling place at the University of Texas at Arlington\u2019s Maverick Activities Center Sunday, Democratic Senate\u00a0nominee James Talarico\u00a0said he was fighting for voters as he criticized a plan to reduce voting locations in Tarrant County. <\/p>\n
Talarico, who is in the midst of a closely\u00a0contested Senate race against<\/a> Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton, was joined by Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons for the press conference. Both Democratic politicians said a plan to cut 92 Election Day locations<\/a> in Tarrant County hurts access for residents, especially in already underserved areas, and called on residents to speak out. <\/p>\n The current plan, to be deliberated by the commissioners court this week, includes 224 Election Day polling sites and 47 early voting locations. It\u2019s an improvement from an earlier proposal to operate 176 Election Day polling sites and 42 early voting locations, but still a marked decrease from the 2022 midterm elections, when there were 316 Election Day polling places.<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be longer commutes, longer lines, and lower voter turnout, especially in our black and brown communities,\u201d Talarico said. \u201cPeople in power don\u2019t want us to know or use our power, and nothing terrifies them more than people who show up to vote and people who show up to hold elected officials accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up for the This Week\u2019s Top Stories newsletter to get the latest stories delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n THANK YOU!<\/p>\n You’re all set.<\/p>\n CLOSE\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Tensions in Tarrant County<\/p>\n Supported by the Republican majority on the court, the plan comes as Tarrant County experiences rapid population growth, becoming the state\u2019s third-most populous county. It also comes as the once-GOP stronghold trends toward a toss-up<\/a>, making Tarrant County a key battleground ahead of what is expected to be a tough midterm cycle for Republicans. Taylor Rehmet, a Democrat, won a shock victory in February to flip a Fort Worth state Senate<\/a> seat blue for the first time in over three decades.<\/p>\n Tarrant County Republicans have been actively reevaluating election procedures as voting trends turn purple and midterms draw closer. In April 2025, the commissioners court voted to approve a redistricting map that watchdogs\u00a0warned would disenfranchise minority voters\u00a0and heavily favor GOP officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before voting with the rest of the commissioners to table approval of the first proposal, County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare, a Republican, told residents he did not support the reduction of polling places to that degree. He has since argued that some cuts are necessary because of new state regulations on polling places and the need to use taxpayer dollars efficiently.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not just fighting for the voting rights of Democrats; we\u2019re fighting for the voting rights of Independents and Republicans too,\u201d Talarico said. \u201cI\u2019m fighting for the rights of people who are going to show up and vote against me on election day, because that\u2019s what we do in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n The proposed cuts still exceed the statutory minimum for polling locations in the state, but Simmons said they\u2019re not enough and don\u2019t make sense given the arguments offered for redistricting last year. <\/p>\n \u201cThe minimum is never my standard, and it should not be a standard for a county this size. If you redistricted on the basis that this county is growing, the population is growing,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cIf that is your premise, why are you slashing the number of election voting centers for your constituents?\u201d<\/p>\n Simmons, who is running against O\u2019Hare for the county judge\u2019s seat, said the proposal would require residents to shuffle transportation plans, daycare arrangements and their workdays, ultimately making it harder for voters to get to the polls. She also advocated adding the former polling location at UTA to the list, saying it has provided access for elderly residents, college students, and veterans. O\u2019Hare and the Republican majority have previously targeted <\/a>early voting on college campuses and voted to cut funding for bus service to polling locations in 2024. <\/p>\n \u2018You need to speak up\u2019<\/p>\n