Dallas County Elections officials say voters should plan to vote anywhere in the county for the May 26 primary runoff elections, despite a legal filing seeking to restore precinct-based voting.
Barry Wernick, who is a precinct chair for the Dallas County GOP and the party’s nominee for Dallas County Commissioner Precinct 2, which includes the Park Cities and parts of Preston Hollow, called for restoring precinct-based voting in a filing in the Fifth District Court of Appeals. Wernick avoided a runoff back in March and will face incumbent Democrat Andy Sommerman for the Commission seat in November.
In the filing, Wernick, seeks to “compel Respondent Paul Adams, Election Administrator of Dallas County, to conduct the May 26, 2026 Republican Primary Runoff Election using precinct-based, Election Day voting, as required by the December 31, 2025, Election Services Contract executed between the CEC and the Dallas County Elections Department, and to disregard the purported First Amendment to that Contract signed without authorization by the CEC’s former chair, Allen West, before he resigned,” court documents show.
Dallas County Elections Department Communications Manager Nicholas Solorzano said the department is preparing for the May 26 primary runoff election to be conducted under the countywide vote center model.
“Dallas County Elections has been operating in good faith under the amended contract that was signed with the Dallas County Republican Party on March 18, 2026. As of today, election programming has been completed. Public logic and accuracy testing of voting equipment was conducted on April 13, mail ballots began being issued to voters on April 11, and vote center location arrangements have been coordinated. This election is already well under way,” Solorzano said in an April 21 statement. “At this time, Dallas County Elections will continue preparing for the election under the countywide vote center model reflected in the executed agreement, unless otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Voters should continue to expect countywide vote centers on Election Day.”
The issue of whether or not to move forward with precinct-based voting or the countywide vote center model for the primary runoff election has been a sticking point since the March 3 primary election. More than 300 voters were redirected from University Park United Methodist Church alone on Election Day March 3.
Early voting for the May 26 primary runoff election runs from May 18 to 22.
Author
