Hundreds of voters in Dallas area turned away from polling places amid new rules confusion
By Fredreka Schouten, Arlette Saenz, Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
(CNN) — Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on Tuesday called for an extension of voting hours in Dallas and Williamson counties, after reports of voters being turned away from polling places amid confusion over rules requiring voters to cast ballots at assigned polling locations.
Hundreds of voters in the Dallas area have been turned away from polling locations and sent to other precincts to cast their ballots, Kardal Coleman, chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, told CNN.
Dallas County will extend voting hours by two hours, according to county elections spokesman Nicholas Solorzano.
Polls in Dallas County will now stay open until 10 p.m. ET. Most of the rest of Texas closes at 8 p.m. ET, with El Paso and far West Texas closing at 9 p.m. ET.
Talarico said an extension was needed to “ensure all Texans’ voices are heard in this critical election.”
Republican officials in those counties opted to run a precinct-based primary election, ending the practice of countywide voting on Election Day.
“This was all avoidable,” Coleman said. “We didn’t have to be in this situation.”
The campaign of Talarico’s opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, said earlier Tuesday that it also was considering asking to extend voting hours.
CNN has reached out to the Dallas County Republican Party and Williamson County Republican Party officials for comment.
Allen West, the former Florida congressman who chairs the Dallas County GOP, previously defended the change, saying he prefers a precinct-based system.
Solorzano confirmed that election officials are “seeing quite a bit across the county” of voters being redirected to their correct precinct.
Both Talarico and Crockett are encouraging voters to check their assigned polling locations before traveling to cast their ballots.
The-CNN-Wire
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