Dworkin ties Tarrant closures to the end of federal preclearance
Scott DworkinPolitical commentator and writer of the Dworkin Report
Dworkin criticizes the closure of 92 Election Day sites in Tarrant County. He notes that Texas needed federal approval for voting changes before 2013 and blames Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the ruling that ended that requirement.
“Tarrant County, Texas just closed 92 Election Day polling places. Before 2013, Texas needed federal sign-off to change how its people vote. John Roberts wrote the ruling that ended that. That's his fingerprint on every closed door.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Were Tarrant County's 2026 polling-site cuts an attempt to skew the election?
On September 1, 2026, Tarrant County commissioners voted 3–2 to approve 224 Election Day polling sites for the November election, down from 316 in the 2022 midterms. Heather Cox Richardson characterized the decision as election-rigging and cited access concerns. W. A. Wren accepted the counts but argued that her account omitted the county Republicans' savings and low-turnout rationale and countywide vote-center rules. The decision's motive and likely effects on access are disputed.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Dworkin's own post on his verified Bluesky account.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Dworkin posted during early voting, which ran October 19 to 30. The commissioners court approved the 224-site Election Day plan on September 1.
After the quotation
The 2013 ruling he refers to is Shelby County v. Holder, in which the Supreme Court struck down the formula that had required Texas to obtain federal preclearance for voting changes.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Dworkin condemns the polling-site closures and attributes them to the loss of federal oversight.
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More from this case
Read the full caseSimmons calls the cuts an attempt to confuse voters of color
“This is an attempt to confuse voters, to have voters of color just throw their hands up”Read statement
Miles says removing convenient polling sites creates barriers
“And when you remove a place that's convenient for the residents to vote, that presents barriers.”Read statement
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“we don't have polling places clustered together so we're making efficient use of our polling sites”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Dworkin ties Tarrant closures to the end of federal preclearance". First published: 2026-11-04. Last updated: 2026-11-04. https://disputeindex.com/events/8189-dworkin-criticizes-the-closure-of-92-election-day