Your Vote Matters

Editor’s Opinion 

By Nisie

The way you vote matters even more. Right now, in Tarrant County, Republicans are undercutting voters at every turn. Last summer, before the 2025 election cycle, Republican commissioners voted to reduce polling locations by cutting more than 100 polling places. The changes made by republicans heavily impacted urban areas outside of northeast loop 820 and minority communities. Then, earlier this year, Republican commissioners, along with Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare, voted to limit public comment time to just 3 minutes per meeting. Before the changes, voters had 3 minutes per item to comment. Recently, Jude O'Hare had civil leaders removed during recess. Some legal experts have said he lacked legal grounds to remove those speaking during recess, and many have called it an attack on freedom of speech. And of course, the endlessly expensive mid-decade redistricting mess. All of these costly efforts are aimed at keeping voters out of the polls. 

Tarrant County will lose businesses and tax revenue from these disastrous Republican policies. But those negative impacts could be softened if common sense is restored to the commissioners' court and the courthouse. Voters are beginning to realize it is time to vote blue. After a tense runoff election, Democrat Taylor Rehmet was elected to represent the 9th District in the Texas Senate. A total upset to Republicans who didn't expect a Democrat to get over them by over 14% of the vote. In 2024, Donald Trump won that very same district by 17 points, making this Democratic win almost unbelievable. The 9th District hasn't been blue since 1991. 

Early voting has already begun in Tarrant County until February 27th, and voters are turning out. So far, Tarrant County voters cast nearly 15,000 ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries, thousands more than on the first day of early voting in 2024. 

We have all heard about the “sleeping giant” being awakened, yet he has slumbered unmoved for decades in Texas. Will we finally hear the rumble of his rising in the 2026 elections?