The First Church of the Nazarene in Arlington is one of 92 Tarrant County polling places that will be closed during this election cycle. But political leaders on both sides of the aisle say voters should not let closed polling locations become an excuse not to vote.<\/p>\n
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Debra Harrison has been voting since she was 18 years old and going to the polls is in her blood. Her mother even worked at the polls for as long as her health allowed her to do so. Debra is one of 24 siblings and says her parents made voting a family tradition by registering all of their children.<\/p>\n
Harrison said voters should be prepared for the start of early voting on Oct. 19.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure that you\u2019re registered, make sure that your polling place is still available. I\u2019ll be voting here at Active,\u201d Harrison said.<\/p>\n
The Active Adult Recreation Center is less than a mile from the First Church of the Nazarene and is among the locations voters can use instead of polling sites that have been closed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The church is among the 92 Tarrant County polling places shut down by the Republican majority on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court in a 3-to-2 vote that sparked heated meetings. Republicans cited that fewer voting polls will save taxpayers money. Democrats argued the move is voter suppression that disenfranchises people of color and people who live below the poverty line.<\/p>\n
Both Republican and Democratic county party leaders say they have been working to make sure voters know where they can cast their ballots.<\/p>\n
\u201cTurnout is so important,\u201d said Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Tim Davis. “If I could have one message to everybody in Tarrant County, really all across North Texas, it would be to go vote. Don’t let somebody else decide for you. We have this great thing in this country that we get to decide for ourselves. And so don’t let somebody else do that.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are chasing every single voter,\u201d said Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair Allison Campolo.<\/p>\n
Campolo said close races can come down to just a handful of votes.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Tarrant County Judge endorses new, ‘sensible’ plan that cuts 92 polling locations compared with last midterms<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe’ve seen so many races Scoop that go one way or the other, based on one vote on six votes on a on a very slim majority, bringing these people into office or keeping them out of office,\u201d said Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair Allison Campolo.<\/p>\n Davis says the stakes are too high for voters to sit this election out.<\/p>\n \u201cGo and place your vote, because there’s just so much at stake in this election that it’s too important not to participate,\u201d Davis said. “Tarrant County is, I think, a great cross-section of all the great things about our country. As I said, great schools, great communities and great voters. I think that’s what we’re going to see over the next few weeks as folks turn out.”<\/p>\n Tarrant County Elections Administrator Clint Ludwig says voters should start by using the county’s voter lookup tool to find their assigned polling location. www.tarrantcountytx.gov\/voterlookup<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n Voters can also use the county’s Find My Ballot page to view, download, or print a sample ballot before heading to the polls. You can find the Tarrant County ballot at www.tarrantcountytx.gov\/findmyballot<\/a>.<\/p>\n