After a heated debate, Tarrant County commissioners voted to move forward with plans to potentially redraw precinct boundaries before the 2026 election.

The process doesn't usually happen in the middle of a decade before official census data is released. Nearly 80 people signed up to speak about this issue at the commissioners' meeting on Wednesday.

"Tarrant County needs responsible leadership for its future survival as a leader in Texas, and redistricting is needed to ensure that survival," one community member told commissioners.

Republicans said the maps need to be redrawn to better reflect the county's population growth and have also acknowledged redistricting could help conservative candidates. Critics call it a waste of taxpayer money at best, and racial gerrymandering at worst.

"What you're proposing here today is not redistricting," said one resident who spoke during public comment. "It's calculated rigging. It's an attempt to gerrymander the voice of the people."

Commissioners agreed in a 3-2 vote along party lines to hire a Virginia-based law firm for consulting services for the purpose of redistricting. The Public Interest Legal Foundation is a conservative group that says it's dedicated to election integrity and has sued several states to gain access to voter rolls.

Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who voted in opposition, said the firm has a well-documented history of hostility to minority voting rights.

"We should know if there's going to be new data, where it will come from, and the reason why because it seems like it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to look into this," said one of several community members who also questioned using this particular foundation for the process.

"Staff did not choose the firm," said Judge Tim O'Hare. "These were people that I researched and found myself."

O'Hare told the court he did not discuss hiring the Public Interest Legal Foundation with any staff or commissioners. He did not answer questions as to why the court should engage in redistricting now.

Four years ago, in 2021, Tarrant County commissioners found the precincts were balanced based on a review of 2020 census data and declined to redraw boundary lines.

"Had I been on the court at that time, I think I would have voted to say let's go ahead and redistrict with the growth in Tarrant County," said Commissioner Matt Krause. "I didn't get to make that decision for other board members, but with the information before us, I think we can do that now."

Redistricting isn't normally done mid-decade.

"Besides this glaringly not being the right time to redistrict, PILF is just not the right firm," Commissioner Simmons said. "The track record is poor… The fact that you guys are trying to hire this firm, that in itself is an act of intentional discrimination."

Commissioner Manny Ramirez said it was shameful to accuse someone of being racist for "wanting to explore population balance."

"Just because you disagree with somebody on policy, does not make them a racist," he told the court.

In a statement, Ramirez said: "…There is one distinct responsibility of this job that is, in my opinion, very political and that is redistricting. Conservative policies and values continue to make Tarrant County the greatest and most successful county in the nation. I believe that I have a moral obligation to do everything legally permissible to ensure that our county continues to enjoy responsible conservative leadership."

O'Hare expects the firm to evaluate the current precincts and then present any potential maps with new boundary lines at a later meeting. He said there will be opportunity for the public and for other commissioners to weigh in before a vote is taken.

"We're hiring a firm and then a process will come out and things will come up," he said. "I get some of you don't want it to happen, and you can vote that way."

When Simmons pressed the judge for more details on the work the firm will do, the exchange got heated.

"So that contract said the $30,000 is for the initial phase - how many phases do you expect?" she asked him directly.

"I don't know, but I don't answer to you," the judge replied. "Vote the way you want."

"I will, but you put something on the agenda, so you ought to be able to speak to it," Simmons said.

Democratic Commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. also voted against hiring the firm and criticized the way the plan was presented to the public and to the commissioners.

"There are so many questions and challenges associated with this proposal for me," he said. "Due to the gravity of this situation and its impact on our constituents, it's imperative to maximize transparency."

He pushed for an open call for proposals instead.

"If we will spend money for an RFP for sprinkler systems, the least we can do is put out an RFP for something that will impact everyone in this room and in this county who we are called to represent," said Commissioner Miles Jr.

According to the contract that was approved, the county can spend up to $30,000 for the Public Interest Legal Foundation to provide legal advice, map renderings, and other consulting services related to redistricting.