$1 million.
That’s how much could be saved through the Tarrant County commissioners’ plan to reduce voting sites by 45% before the November elections that many pollsters predict will go heavily Democratic and utterly neuter the rest of Donald Trump’s term, a reign of terror, tears, and bad odor defined by 18 dead U.S. soldiers, 600 wounded American troops, and hundreds of Iranian children bombed into oblivion in an aimless war of choice, plus exorbitant prices for just about everything and enormous grift to the tune of $1 billion-plus in crypto-currency schemes preying upon not-very-bright fellow citizens harboring a cultlike devotion to their golf-shoed emperor.
Far-right County Judge Tim O’Hare has raved about the savings.
$1 million is certainly a lot of ka-ching, but when added to the existing $83 million in unused county financial reserves, or “rainy-day funds,” it’s paltry.
A party with a strong, unifying message does not need to make voting more difficult.
Only a party that knows it’s going to lose and lose “bigly” for offering nothing but culture-war grievances to mask botched, backward, conniving, deadly governance coming from the White House on down argues for silencing voices at the ballot box. One of Trump’s shiniest pet projects is the SAVE America Act, which is nothing but a voter-suppression bill. The Republican playbook couldn’t be any simpler: No good ideas? Tilt the scales.
The b.s. from the top overflows like a backed-up sewer. “Illegals are voting!” No, they’re not (“The Damage from Conspiracy Theories About Noncitizen Voting,” Brennan Center, Oct 2024). “Ghina is space-lasering our voting machines!” Nope, not happening either (“Trump alleges China meddled in 2020 election and questions voting security ahead of midterms,” BBC, Jul 2026 — “Trump … has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims [my ital] about voter fraud and foreign meddling in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden”). “Democrats are voting multiple times!” Negatory, only Republicans have been caught trying to cheat at the polls (“Why Republicans invented the myth of voter fraud to justify laws that keep American citizens from voting,” Milwaukee Independent, Jan 2026).
For an administration whose dementia-addled chief claims everything that doesn’t go his way or requires a little bit of elbow grease is “rigged,” this is expected.
Tarrant County commissioners will vote on and undoubtedly pass diluting non-conservative voices — because the reduction in polling sites is designed primarily to mute minority, Dem-leaning input — tomorrow/Tue at 10am on the fifth floor of 100 E Weatherford St.
The cut in 140 polling sites will mean even fewer places to cast a ballot than four years ago. Or ever, really, in the recent era.
From 316 day-of voting sites in 2022, the proposal will leave Tarrant County with only 176. For early voting (Oct 19-30), only 42 polling sites will be available compared to 2022’s 50. In a county with well over 1 million registered voters, what should be easy as part of any functioning democracy — what should be prioritized — will be more difficult and labor-intensive than ever thanks to terrible local conservative leadership whose stewards feel that job creation is the only criterion determining the success of a metropolis. It’s not. Far from it. Taking care of everyone regardless of income level, creed, or color is. And you can’t hear the voice of the people if you have your hands around their throat.
“Polling places aren’t government waste,” said State Sen. Taylor Rehmet in a statement. “They’re an investment in our democracy. Our democracy is strongest when every voice can be heard. Keep the polls open.”
Voting registration deadline is Oct 5.
This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
