Dallas County GOP changes voting set-up for Paxton, Cornyn runoff after primary confusion

The Dallas County Republican Party (DCRP) is rolling back a change to its voting setup that led to voter confusion and disruptions during Texas primary elections earlier this month. 

Dallas County’s GOP used a precinct-based system in the March 3 primaries, meaning Democrats and Republicans had to cast ballots at specific neighborhood locations on Election Day, instead of countywide polling places. 

A Texas judge ordered the county polls to extend their hours to account for confusion as voters reported being turned away at certain locations. The Texas Supreme Court then halted the ruling, ordering that votes cast after the original poll close time be separated. 

Now, the party is switching back to countywide voting ahead of the May 26 primary runoff, though they didn’t rule out re-instituting the changes in future elections. 

“There comes a time to know when to claim success and not go a bridge too far,” DCRP chairman Col. Allen West said in a statement on Tuesday, calling this month’s primaries a “success” but saying the party would “assess the lessons learned and improve upon the process and procedures” for future cycles. 

“I have made the decision that seeking to do precinct based operations for the runoff Election Day exposes the DCRP to increased risk and voter confusion,” West said. “This week I will sign an amended contract for the DCRP to execute [a] non-joint countywide runoff election. Those that disagree with this decision are free to seek to replace me as Chairman.” 

Several key Texas races advanced to May primary runoffs, including the marquee contest for Senate, where incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and state Attorney General Ken Paxton are squaring off for the GOP nod. 

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said in a statement that the Dallas County move signals “Republicans are now scrambling to undo the damage they created.” 

“For months, Democrats warned that forcing a return to a precinct-only system during Election Day would confuse voters, create long lines, and turn people away from the polls,  and that’s exactly what happened,” Scudder said.

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