Texas Democratic lawmakers to propose bills to prevent voter confusion experienced by Dallas County voters during primary

At a field hearing in Dallas on Monday, Congressional Democrats heard testimony about the voter confusion in the county on March 3, election day for the primaries. 

Long lines formed at some polling locations. 

The Dallas County GOP decided against holding a joint primary election with Democrats, which resulted in all voters having to go to their assigned precincts on election day instead of any vote center in the county that they had become used to going. 

Bill proposes advance voter notifications in election changes

At the hearing, Dallas area Democratic leaders reported about 30,000 voters of both parties had to be redirected to their precincts. But Paul Adams, Dallas County Elections Administrator, said there's no estimate of how many of those voters actually voted or gave up.

Now, U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, has filed a bill, the VOTE Act, to require those who are operating the election, whether a government or political party, to notify voters at least seven days before the election. 

"The voters didn't know," Johnson said. "I think that's really the bigger problem. Our bill would require specific notifications to voters when their precinct locations were going to change from the historical places that they had voted. By letter. By email. By posting."

Officials clash over responsibility for Dallas County voting confusion 

The hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Administration was held by Ranking Member, U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, D-New York, and Johnson. They heard from various Democratic area leaders. Dallas County said the Republican Party notified them on December 30, about 60 days before the election, about their decision to require precinct voting. 

County Commissioner Andy Sommerman said at the hearing commissioners spent $1 million to spread the word and educate the voters about the change before March 3. 

GOP Chairman Allen West said the county and the Democratic Party had plenty of notice. 

"This was something that was well known. We had all of these changes in locations published on the Dallas County Republican Party website. I think that the chairman of the Democrat Party, Mr. Coleman, knew very well what we were doing, as well as across this county." Coleman said, "What happened on March 3 was not an accident; it was the result of a series of deliberate choices by Republicans, from the White House down to the county party, that made this election harder to run and harder to participate in."

GOP reverses course on precinct-only voting for upcoming runoff  

But West decided Republicans won't require precinct voting on election day for the upcoming primary runoff on May 26. So, voters in both parties will be able to go to any voting center in the county.

He said he wants to keep it consistent with the municipal elections earlier in the month. But West said his decision is under fire by some on his own party's executive committee, who will hold a no-confidence vote next Monday. 

When asked if members of the committee want him to resign, West said, "I will give the gavel over, and I'll say goodbye. Because again, I'm not going to be part of an organization that doesn't want me there. That's just not me."

Last week, State Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin, announced he will file a bill that will change state law and allow the county parties to decide for themselves how they want to hold primary elections on election day. 

"No more veto power," Bucy said. "No cross-party control because voting is fundamental, and it should never depend on decisions from people you didn't elect and can't hold accountable." 

West said he likes the idea. 

"I think that's appropriate, because again, why should we be tied to Democrat processes and procedures when this is a Republican primary?" said West.

The next legislative session in Austin begins in January.

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