The Republican Party in Dallas County will switch back to a countywide voting system for the state's May 26 runoff elections after voters experienced massive disruptions during the primary earlier this month due to the precinct-based system that was in place.
In a statement announcing the decision, Dallas County Republican Party Chair Allen West said seeking precinct-based operations for the runoff election would expose the party to increased risk and voter confusion. He noted that from the end of April through May there will be municipal elections and early voting for the runoff, all conducted countywide. "To then shift for the one day runoff election to precincts would bring about large scale disruption," West wrote.
What the Right Is Saying
Allen West defended the original decision to use precinct-based voting, saying the party had "successfully executed a non joint precinct based primary operation on March 3." He said the party could "take that success, assess the lessons learned and improve upon the process and procedures for March 2028."
West initially pushed for precinct-level voting as part of an effort to count primary ballots by hand, a process rooted in conspiracy theories about the accuracy of voting machines. While the party ultimately abandoned plans to count ballots by hand due to high costs, the precinct-level voting system still went into effect for the March primary.
The Williamson County Republican Party also used precinct-level voting sites on March 3. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about whether the party would also make a change for the May runoff.
What the Left Is Saying
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said Republicans were "scrambling to undo the damage they created" after causing chaos on Election Day. In a statement, Scudder referenced months of warnings from Democrats that forcing a return to a precinct-only system during Election Day would confuse voters, create long lines and turn people away from the polls. "This was a completely avoidable failure that wasted taxpayer dollars and undermined voter confidence," Scudder said.
During the March 3 primary, a Dallas County judge had ordered Democratic polling sites to stay open for an additional two hours, but that ruling was blocked shortly after by the Texas Supreme Court. Some voters were turned away while others cast provisional ballots due to confusion over where they were supposed to vote.
What the Numbers Show
Dallas County is the second most populous county in Texas, with more than 2.6 million residents. The March 3 primary featured a high-profile Senate race that is now heading to a runoff, with GOP Sen. John Cornyn facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on May 26.
Generally, political parties in Texas oversee primary voting. Democrats and Republicans often administer elections jointly and outsource operations to county election officials, who have run countywide voting centers in recent cycles that allow voters to cast ballots wherever is most convenient for them.
In Dallas County, Republicans chose to run their primaries separately at the precinct level for the March election, forcing Democrats to do the same. The change left thousands of voters confused over where they were supposed to go on Election Day.
The Bottom Line
The switch back to countywide voting for the May 26 runoff means voters in Dallas County will be able to cast their ballots at any voting location in the county, reversing the disruption experienced during the primary. The decision comes as voters prepare to decide several high-profile races, including the Senate runoff between Cornyn and Paxton.
The controversy over voting procedures highlights ongoing tensions around election administration in Texas, particularly as the state continues to be a focal point for debates about voting access and integrity. Democrats have criticized the original precinct-based system as unnecessary and confusing, while Republicans in Dallas County had argued for local control over their primary operations.
What to watch: Whether Williamson County Republicans follow Dallas County's lead and also revert to countywide voting for the runoff, and whether the party implements any changes ahead of the 2028 presidential primary cycle.