Eastland County voters are preparing for the March 3 primary under unusual circumstances. The local Republican Party has voted to hand-count all ballots and split from a joint primary with Democrats. As a result, voters must return to assigned precincts, and significant logistical changes are underway.

Most concerning: Eastland County Elections Administrator Temi Nichols has publicly stated that the county does not currently have enough accessible voting machines to place one at every Republican polling location. Federal law requires that every polling place provide at least one accessible voting system for voters with disabilities. In past elections, this was not an issue because both parties used the same equipment.

No voter should arrive at their polling place and discover that they cannot cast a private, independent ballot.

Voting access for people with disabilities is not optional. It is protected under federal law, including the Help America Vote Act. Whether ballots are hand-counted or machine-tabulated, accessibility must never be compromised.

We are calling on Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the Eastland County Republican Party, and Eastland County officials to ensure that every Republican polling location is equipped with compliant, accessible voting technology before Election Day. If necessary, the state must immediately provide equipment, guidance, or oversight to guarantee that no voter is disenfranchised.

We also urge the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to monitor this situation closely to ensure federal accessibility standards are upheld.

This is not about party politics. It is about equal access. Voters with disabilities deserve the same opportunity to cast a ballot as every other Texan — privately, independently, and without barriers.

Eastland County must not become a cautionary tale about preventable access failures.

Sign this petition to demand full accessibility compliance at every polling location before ballots are cast.