Texas cuts 500 polling spots since 2018

Texas voters will have access to more than 500 fewer Election Day polling locations on Tuesday compared to the 2018 election. A review of all 254 counties reveals that the number of voting sites has dropped in 130 of them. This statewide decrease reflects a long trend of consolidation in local election infrastructure.

Election officials argue that these raw numbers do not capture the full picture of voter access. Many counties have adopted a countywide voting system that allows citizens to cast ballots at any site within their county. This approach replaces the older model where voters were assigned to a single precinct location. In the current cycle, a record 103 counties have received approval for this system.

Tarrant County illustrates the tension between fewer sites and broader options. Officials plan to open 223 locations on Election Day, a reduction from the 338 sites available in 2018. The loss of 115 sites has drawn criticism from groups alleging the cuts disproportionately impact Black and Latino voters. County leaders defend the plan by citing cost savings and sufficient coverage for the population.

Kaufman County provides a clearer view of why specific sites disappear. Election Administrator Tandi Smith noted that the county’s voting locations have fallen from 29 to 23. She explained that six former sites can no longer host elections due to ownership changes, capacity issues, or accessibility standards. Private facilities such as churches and community centers often face insurance hurdles that make them reluctant to participate.

Smith stated, “We’ve had six locations no longer be able to serve as polling locations. Either they’ve changed ownership, they can’t handle the influx of the people coming into their facility, or they’re not ADA compliant.” She added that the countywide system offers voters flexibility by allowing them to choose from a network of sites rather than being locked into one specific address.

However, having more available sites does not always mean the nearest location is closer to home. The analysis found that nearly six in 10 counties using countywide voting have fewer total locations than in 2018. At the University of Texas at Arlington, students lost the ability to vote at the Maverick Activities Center this year. Officials removed the site because it was near other options. For students without cars, the nearest polling place is now a 25-minute walk away.

A 2026 study titled Polling Place Location and the Costs of Voting indicates that distance affects turnout. For every additional mile a voter must travel, the likelihood of voting in person drops by one to three percentage points. Despite the general trend of reduction, Dallas and Collin counties have added locations since 2018 while using the countywide system. Sixteen other counties have also increased their site counts.

Denton County remains an exception in North Texas by maintaining a strict precinct-based system. Because voters must use their assigned location, the county has added 54 sites since 2018 to accommodate population growth. Elections Administrator Frank Phillips said, “We don’t have the legal ability to reduce sites. As people move in, we just have to open more sites.” He believes the county may eventually switch to countywide voting to manage the difficulty of finding compliant facilities.