The local Republican Party has requested that the Dallas County elections department once again hold countywide voting for the May runoff election. That's after it successfully pushed for separate, assigned voting locations for Republicans and Democrats voting in the March 3 primary.
The locations would not be precinct-based like on a confusing primary Election Day, March 3, when Republicans and Democrats voted at separate locations. Instead, Republicans and Democrats would go to the same locations, where they'd then be separated by party.
Republican Chair Allen West said his party "successfully executed a non-joint precinct based primary operation," but countywide voting is less confusing.
"As Chairman of the DCRP it is my responsibility and duty to protect this organization," he said. "I have made the decision that seeking to do precinct-based operations for the runoff Election Day exposes the DCRP to increased risk and voter confusion."
On the evening of March 3, Kardal Coleman, the Dallas County Democratic Party chair, had asked State Dist. Judge Staci Williams to extend voting hours because of "mass confusion," the judge wrote in an order that kept polling places open until 9 p.m.
Dallas County commissioners were told Tuesday that more than 13,000 Dallas residents apparently showed up at the wrong polling place. That number was based on data from software used by election "navigators" who looked up potential voters' correct precinct-based polling place and provided that information.
The Office of the Texas Attorney General appealed Williams' order and the matter ended up before the Texas Supreme Court. Dallas County Democrats later dropped the initial request that led to Williams' order, which meant that votes cast by people who showed up at the polls after 7 p.m. in Dallas County were not included in the final results.
West said returning to countywide voting for the May runoff aligns with other elections leading up to the runoffs, he said.
"From the end of April through May, there will be municipal elections and early voting for the runoff," West said. "All of these elections are countywide voting. To then shift for the one day runoff election to precincts would bring about large scale disruption."
Elections Administrator Paul Adams said he has discussed that possibility and is preparing for a countywide runoff election.
"At this point, because I had conversations with the chairs of both parties over the last few days, we have drafted an amendment through the DA's office that will be sent off to both party chairs to entertain, and potentially sign, in order for that to happen for the runoff."
West said he plans to agree to it.
"This week, I will sign an amended contract for the DCRP to execute non-joint countywide runoff election," he said. "Those that disagree with this decision are free to seek to replace me as Chairman."
West won in the March 3 election the party's nomination to remain chair.
Other Dallas County GOP board members have said previously that they prefer joint elections.
County commissioner Andy Sommerman clarified during commissioners court Tuesday the difference in voting process.
"In other words, people would still walk into the building, be told, left or right, on their parties — Democrats to the left or Republicans to the right, as it were," he said. "But everybody being able to go to wherever they want to be able to vote on the runoff."
He said during the regular meeting that Republicans likely want to revert to the convenience of countywide vote centers instead of precinct-designated polling places because important, tight races will be on the ballot.
"Let me point out to everyone why they might want to do that," he said. "Their runoff is statewide. They've got a big one coming, a massive one. They're going to spend $90 million on it from what I'm told...for the whole county, on a big election, for the Republican Party, I guess they didn't like the confusion as much as they thought they would."
Runoff election early voting begins May 18 and ends May 22.
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