A Texas judge has ordered polling locations in Dallas to stay open until 9 p.m. as confusion over polling locations has affected much of the county on primary election day.
As Texas voters take to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the state’s hotly watched congressional primaries, up to 90% of voters in Dallas initially went to the wrong voting location, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told the Houston Chronicle. The confusion comes as a new rule declared voters in Dallas and Williamson counties could no longer cast their ballots in any county polling location and must instead vote in their specific precincts.
“The Dallas and Williamson County Republican Parties refused to agree to a joint primary election,” Texas Democrats said in a statement. “That decision forced voters out of the countywide voting system they’ve used for over a decade and sent them scrambling to find their assigned precinct. The result? Confusion, long lines, and working people being told they’re at the wrong location with no clear path to cast their ballot.”
The Texas Democratic Party called the incident “voter suppression” and called for an extension of voting hours in the area, along with Democratic primary opponents Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) and state Rep. James Talarico.
The Dallas County Republican Party said earlier Wednesday that the move came as part of its push to have more of a say in the election day process.
“This primary election in Dallas County has been different because the Dallas County GOP Executive Committee voted to have a non-joint primary along with precinct level voting on election day,” Chairman Allen West said. “Republicans should have more control over their primary election process, especially since we do not have closed primaries in Texas.”
West said in the statement, “We should not be afraid or intimidated by leftists when it comes to selecting our November general election team.”
“We are deeply concerned about the reports of voters being turned away from the polls in Dallas and Williamson counties following the GOP’s implementation of precinct-specific voting locations for election day,” Talarico said in a statement. He said his campaign called for a voting hours extension “to ensure all Texans’ voices are heard in this critical election.”
Crockett’s campaign said in a statement that, in addition to calling for an extension, they were “monitoring the situation and working with our local county party to explore all solutions.” Crockett’s current House district spans across the Dallas area.
The voting controversy is throwing a wrench in the primary as both Democrats and Republicans face intense Senate battles.
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As Talarico and Crockett face off in the Democratic primary, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) are facing off in the Republican primary that is likely to head to a runoff election in May.
The Texas and Dallas County Republican parties did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
