AUSTIN – Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare has reportedly scheduled a special called meeting of Commissioners Court to consider two controversial voter suppression proposals on  Thursday, when the Court’s two Democratic members will be out of the state. Judge O’Hare was informed of the planned absences over a month ago. 

The first proposal Judge O’Hare plans to pass eliminate early voting poll sites from the University of Texas at Arlington. In addition, he plans to pass a proposal that would prevent nonpartisan volunteer deputy voter registrars, who must be trained and certified by the county, from being able to register voters on properties owned by the county. 

In response to the meeting, the following is a statement from Emily Eby French, policy director of Common Cause Texas: 

“Texas is already the hardest state to vote in. On Thursday, Judge O’Hare will do his best to make it even harder, especially for young people. 

“Attempting to pass these incredibly controversial, discriminatory proposals while Judge O’Hare knows that two of his colleagues are unavailable is a subversion of the democratic process. This is a shameful and blatant attempt at voter suppression.

“If Judge O’Hare believes that he has the best plan for polling places in Tarrant County, he should present it to all of his fellow commissioners in broad daylight. He should also justify why all three of his proposals include only 46 or 48 Early Voting locations when Elections Administrator Clint Ludwig told commissioners that the ideal number would be ’60 or 70.’

“We urge the commissioners to reject these insufficient proposals and pass a list that includes enough polling places for all Tarrant County voters, including the popular and established polling places on college campuses. We also urge them not to restrict voter registration efforts less than a month before the October 7 registration deadline.” 

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