Major Win: Tarrant County Commissioners Court Keeps College Campus Polling Locations Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 16, 2024

Contact: media@texascivilrightsproject.org 

After attempt to close college campus polling locations and following community and voting rights activist testimony, County Commissioners vote to keep the location operational

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - Last Thursday in a 4-1 vote, Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted to keep all 8 college campus early polling locations operational for the 2024 election. The vote follows an effort by Judge Tim O’Hare to close some of the polling places, and advocacy efforts led by students, community members, and voting rights activists to keep the campus voting locations open. 

“Having conveniently accessible early voting polling locations makes it easier for busy parents, workers, students, and others to cast their ballot. I applaud the decision of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court to maintain the 50 early polling locations and add an additional location. Tarrant County is home to one of the most diverse college campuses in the United States, and students and community members alike should be able to easily cast their vote come election season. Texas Civil Rights Project is proud to have stood alongside community members and student voters to encourage broader access to the ballot box in Tarrant County and will continue this fight across Texas,” said Rochelle Garza (she/her), President of Texas Civil Rights Project.

The UT Arlington polling place serves college students and community members alike. The majority of students at the university are people of color, making up over 60%. The polling location’s popularity in the community has been proven, in 2020, the early voting location had 9,754 votes cast. Along with UT Arlington, polling places at Tarrant County Community College Southeast, Northwest, and South campuses, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Texas Christian University, and University of North Texas Health Science Center will remain open. Texas Civil Rights Project staff, Hana Muslic, Election Protection Fellow, was on the ground in Fort Worth testifying for the college campus polling locations to remain open, view her testimony here.  

TCRP is working to ensure that all Texans have the freedom and ability to vote during this year's midterm election. Any Texan who experiences difficulty voting can call the Texas Civil Rights Project's Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE or 888-VE-Y-VOTA for assistance in Spanish.

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