After the March 3 primary election saw widespread confusion among voters about where they could cast their ballot, a push is underway a return to countywide voting for the runoff election in May.
Dallas County Elections Administrator Paul Adams confirmed to the Dallas County Commissioners Court March 17 that efforts are underway to potentially return to countywide voting in time for the primary runoff election.
Adams’ addressing the issue in commissioners court came after more than 300 voters were redirected from University Park United Methodist Church alone on Election Day March 3. The confusion stemmed in part from a decision by the Dallas County Republican Party late last year to return to precinct-based, assigned polling locations.
During the early voting period for the primary election, as in previous elections in recent years, residents had been able to vote at any polling location in the county.
“Not a joint (election),” Adams explained about the change being considered. “It would be countywide voting, and it would be similar to how we did early voting for this past primary.”
Adams said an amendment has been drafted to be sent to the chairs of both the Dallas County Democratic Party and the Dallas County Republican Party for them to consider and potentially make the change for the upcoming May runoff election.
Dallas County Republican Party Chair Allen West said in a statement that he would sign an amended contract for a non-joint countywide runoff election.
“As Chairman of the DCRP it is my responsibility and duty to protect this organization. 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. From the end of April through May there will be municipal elections and early voting for the runoff. All of these elections are countywide voting. To then shift for the one day runoff election to precincts would bring about large scale disruption,” West wrote in a statement.
Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder in a statement called the reversal “a clear admission that their own election changes were a failure.”
““After causing chaos on Election Day, Republicans are now scrambling to undo the damage they created,” said Scudder. “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. This was a completely avoidable failure that wasted taxpayer dollars and undermined voter confidence.”
Early voting for the May 26 primary runoff election runs from May 18 to 22.
Author
