Texas Rep. Terry Meza, D-Irving remembers once voting at the University Center.
“I knew that the more people that voted here, the more likely they were to keep it,” Meza said.
She, alongside about three dozen students, faculty and state representatives, gathered Wednesday at the Maverick Activities Center’s West Lawn to discuss UTA potentially not having an early voting site this year.
Last week, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court failed to approve a list of early voting locations, which included college campuses like UTA and Tarrant County College, for the upcoming November 2024 presidential election. After a heated debate, the court left divided, resulting in a 2-2 vote with Commissioner Manny Ramirez absent.
“These polling locations aren’t just for university students,” UTA student Yaseen Tasnif said. “Faculty, staff and nearby residents also use them.”
The court will meet 10 a.m. Thursday for a special meeting to discuss and consider three different draft proposals for early voting locations. Commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roy Brooks, however, will be unable to attend in person. In August, the court approved travel for Simmons and Brooks to attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Conference in Washington D.C.
Tarrant County Commissioner's Court will consider three draft proposals for early voting locations Sept. 12
| 🗳️ | Rejected Proposal Voted Sept. 4 | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 total locations Eight college campuses |
46 total locations Four college campuses |
46 total locations Six college campuses |
48 total locations Five college campuses |
|
| Tarrant County College Southeast Campus | Tarrant County College Southeast Campus | Tarrant County College Southeast Campus | Tarrant County College Southeast Campus | |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Tarrant County College Northwest Campus | University of Texas at Arlington | University of Texas at Arlington | |
| Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary | Texas Christian University | Tarrant County College Northwest Campus | Tarrant County College Northwest Campus | |
| Tarrant County College Northwest Campus | University of North Texas Health Science Center | Texas Christian University | Texas Christian University | |
| Tarrant County College South Campus | University of North Texas Health Science Center | University of North Texas Health Science Center | ||
| Texas Christian University | Tarrant County College Northeast Campus | |||
| University of North Texas Health Science Center | ||||
| Tarrant County College Northeast Campus |
“Together, we represent half of this county, which is a majority minority, meaning a disproportionate number of these minority citizens live within our two precincts,” Simmons said in a written statement. “This is clearly a targeted attempt to limit the minority members of the Commissioners Court’s ability to participate.”
While Simmons is out of state, she and her office put together the event with support from UTA students.
The absence of both commissioners who are African American will leave the minority population unrepresented, Texas Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie said.
“To schedule this meeting at a time the two Black members of the court cannot be there, and the vast majority of the minority population in Tarrant County cannot be represented because they cannot be there, is wrong,” he said.
Kayla Rabb, Texas Texas National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Youth and College president, said she is disheartened at the attempt to suppress the votes of students and members of the community. She said students face higher voter struggles like affordable and reliable transportation or finding the time to vote between classes.
“County Judge O’Hare, to say that you have no interest in helping students vote is grossly arrogant, a mockery and a slap in the face to young people who wish to take part in the democratic process,” Rabb said.
Previously, the MAC was an active voting location for students but was not available for early voting during the 2023 November constitutional amendment election. The university initially opened as an early presidential voting site in 2000, according to previous Shorthorn reporting.
During last week’s meeting, O’Hare questioned the necessity of having an early voting location at UTA, pointing out another option at the Tarrant County Sub-Courthouse in Arlington, which is 0.8 miles away from campus.
Simmons disagreed.
At that meeting, Simmons said she opposes removing early polling sites from campus because Arlington is the largest city in the U.S. without public transportation, and most of UTA’s students don’t have vehicles.
“Access is the issue here. It is the responsibility of this Commissioners Court to make voting accessible to all of the public,” Simmons said.
Emeri Callaway, TCC student and member of Tarrant County Young Democrats, said the right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, and having voting sites on college campuses encourages student-voter turnout.
“Restricting access to the ballot box undermines the very fabric of our society and democracy itself,” Callaway said. “As a student who has personally used a polling location, on campus, to vote, as I know countless other students have, we must not let this happen.”
Citizens can register to vote until Oct. 7, and early voting runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
UTA is still included on the Election Day polling sites, which commissioners approved 3-1. O’Hare voted against the list.
@amandaLaldridge
