This week, Tarrant County commissioners voted 3–2 to slash more than 100 polling sites and reduce early voting locations — a decision that will make it harder for thousands of Texans to cast their ballots. The cuts bring the total number of polling sites down to just 216 for a county of over two million people, and they come as Texas continues to pass laws restricting access to the ballot box.

The decision isn’t happening in isolation. In recent years, county leaders have eliminated free bus rides to polling places, blocked outside groups from registering voters in county buildings, and redrawn precinct maps to tilt political power in their favor. Now, by cutting polling sites, officials are adding another barrier between voters and the ballot box.

We’ve already seen what this means in real life. Long lines, confusion, and voters — especially Black, Hispanic, student, and low-income communities — forced to travel farther and wait longer just to exercise their most basic right. As one election judge testified, “You’re not saving money. You’re sacrificing democracy to save a buck.”

County leaders claim these cuts are about “efficiency” or “low turnout.” But the truth is simple: fewer polling sites mean fewer voters. Experts have warned that closing locations directly suppresses turnout. And once sites are closed, they rarely reopen.

This isn’t just a local issue. Texas has been at the center of nationwide efforts to restrict voting access, from making mail-in ballots harder to obtain to requiring stricter IDs. Now, Tarrant County is taking a step that risks silencing thousands of voices in one of the most diverse and fastest-growing regions of the state.

We cannot let this stand. Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and the Commissioners Court must reverse these cuts and commit to protecting — not restricting — access to the polls. Democracy depends on full participation, not manufactured barriers.

Every Texan deserves a nearby, accessible polling place. Every vote deserves to be counted. Add your name to demand that Tarrant County restore its polling locations and safeguard the right to vote.