Tarrant County bans volunteer deputy registrars from registering voters inside county buildings
Tarrant Co. bans voter registration at county buildings
Voter registration drives are ramping up with less than six weeks until early voting begins for the November election, but the drives will no longer be allowed in Tarrant County buildings like courthouses and tax offices. Following a Thursday County Commission vote, it is now forbidden for trained and certified volunteer deputy registrars (VDRs) to get people registered to vote inside a county building.
TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - Voter registration drives are ramping up with less than six weeks until early voting begins for the November election, but the drives will no longer be allowed in Tarrant County buildings like courthouses and tax offices.
Following a Thursday County Commission vote, it is now forbidden for trained and certified volunteer deputy registrars (VDRs) to get people registered to vote inside a county building.
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The policy change follows a debate that even as the volunteers are trained and certified by the state, some are connected to groups with partisan backgrounds.
The board listened to arguments from both sides.
"If you want to wear your Battleground Texas shirt and come into a county office and not think that you’re telling people who you are affiliated with and what your political bias is and still expect to be able to register voters with any level of integrity, I’m sorry, I shake my head at that," said Amie Super.
"I really urge you to please continue to allow volunteer deputy registrars like myself to do our non-partisan business inside the air conditioning rather than outside. I’m 74 years old. I served a shift a while back of six hours. In the hot sun of 100 degrees and it kind of got to me," said Daniel Taylor.
The measure to ban VDRs from registering people inside a county building passed by a 4 to 1 vote.
The vote came after a series of actions on the matter.
First, Judge Tim O'Hare initiated a policy change that required VDRs to remain 25 feet from building entrances.
Commissioner Alisa Simmons moved to reverse that. After originally getting the votes needed, one commissioner flip-flopped.
"I know how I wanted to vote and I immediately went to you and Chandler and talked about is there a way to modify that vote," said Commissioner Gary Fickes.
Fickes said his vote for the reversal was unintentional. He says he supports keeping out VDRs.
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As for concerns that this might hamper the voter registration outreach, not everyone sees it that way.
"I believe we VDR are doing a good job. We are successful without going inside the facility that’s paid for with taxpayer dollars," said Tammy Lehman, Precinct 1710 Chair.