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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-27 Euless Articles North Texans Line Up By The Thousands To Cast Their Ballots On The 1st Day Of Early Voting October 13, 2020 at 11:58 am Filed Under:2020 Election, Campaign 2020, DFW News, Early Voting, Election Day, March to the Polls, poll workers, ride to the polls, voting (credit: CBSDFW.COM) CBSDFW.COM) – Election Day is still three weeks away, but early voting is underway and thousands of North Texans are already making their way to the polls. CBS 11 News crews found long lines outside a number of voting centers and people who had waited more than an hour to vote — including at the Fretz Park Library in far North Dallas. On the eastside of Fort Worth voters reported issues at the Precinct 8 voting center and there was a line that went all the way down the street because of it. In Grapevine, voters headed out before sunrise to get in line and cast their ballots at the REC of Grapevine on Municipal Way. There was a disruption in Tarrant County after a poll worker tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, election officials decided that person and others who worked with her should stay home. The result meant the Euless Family Life Senior Center was closed down. The positive diagnosis has also affected locations at Keller Town Hall and the Villages of Woodland Springs. Both of these locations are open, but the closure of the senior center has resulted in even longer lines. There was a line of voters at the largest polling place in Dallas — the American Airlines Center. Tuesday morning dozens of voters lined up — socially distanced — around the arena. Once inside mask-wearing voters were checked in at one of 20 stations, then sent out to one of the 50 voting machines set up in the concourse. (credit: CBSDFW.COM) Those who plan to vote at the AAC can park in the Lexus Parking Garage across the street for free. The AAC is just one of more than 60 polling locations in Dallas County. Voters should keep in mind that if you see an extremely long line where you had planned to cast your ballot you can go to another voting location in your area. Early voters can cast a ballot at any polling location in the county where they are registered to vote. Early voting runs from October 13 until October 30. Locations can be found on the Texas secretary of state’s website. Election Day for the 2020 general election is November 3. Voters Turned Away, Polling Place Closes After Worker Tests Positive for COVID-19 Euless Senior Center was unable to open for the first morning of early voting Tuesday; early voters can vote at any polling place in the county By Ben Russell and Jack Highberger • Published October 13, 2020 • Updated on October 13, 2020 at 5:34 pm A Tarrant County polling place was closed for the start of early voting Tuesday morning because a poll worker had been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Upwards of 300 voters were waiting in line by the time the Euless Senior Center on West Midway Drive was set to open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to multiple witnesses. They only realized there was concern after 8 a.m. came and went and the doors had yet to open. “It was frustrating,” said Darlene Beard, of Tarrant County, who said she arrived at approximately 5:45 a.m. Beard said she was not surprised that the coronavirus forced the temporary closure of any particular polling place, but expressed concern that more details were not provided to the people who, like her, had waited so long to vote. “Voting is so important today that we need not be discouraged with what we see,” Beard said. “Nothing will stop me from allowing my vote to count. That’s just how important this is today.” One voter said she was confused by the closure. “Personally I don’t know if I have ever seen a judge during my voting experience so I don’t quite understand the explanation,” said voter Debra Janes. Face Long Lines at American Airlines Center Polling Place Another voter was determined to find another polling location to vote. “We are going to find a spot, if we have to drive around all day we are going to find a spot,” Justina Page said. The Euless Senior Center was finally able to open for voters shortly after 11 a.m. Early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 13 and ends Friday, Oct. 30. A news release from Tarrant County shortly before 11 a.m. confirmed the following: Last night a poll worker that was trained on Oct. 8 informed us that he tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, all workers that were in the same training class were asked to stay home and not show up for work today. This affected three early voting locations: Keller Town Hall, Villages of Woodland Springs and Euless Family Life Senior Center. “In consultation with our health department they felt like the best thing to do was to ask all the people in that training class to quarantine,” Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said. Voters in Tarrant County are not required to vote at any particular polling place and can vote at any of the county's early voting centers. After record week, Tarrant County elections office wants 8 additional polling sites opened for final days of early voting Tarrant County Commissioners have to approve the proposal which will be discussed next Tuesday. Author: Matt Howerton Published: 9:05 PM CDT October 16, 2020 Updated: 9:05 PM CDT October 16, 2020 FORT WORTH, Texas — Tarrant County Commissioners will discuss adding eight additional polling sites during the last two days of early voting next week after the county saw record turnout for the polls this week. On Friday, 49,839 people participated in early voting in the county. It was the highest day for turnout in the county so far, which already saw some impressive numbers during the first week of early voting. On Tuesday when voting began, the county tallied 42,353 votes. On Wednesday, it passed that number with 45,311 votes. On Thursday, that number was nearly matched with 45,288 votes. The totals have already outpaced the first four days of early voting from 2016 by at least 10,000 votes. As far as absentee voting goes, Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia told WFAA that more ballots have already been returned to the county so far compared to the final tally counted in 2016's general election. "In 2016 we had roughly 37,000 ballots returned in all. So far we've seen an estimated 42,000 returned," Garcia said. "Clearly this is because of the pandemic but these are massive numbers." Historically, Garcia noted that turnout softens after the first few days of early voting and gets higher in the final week. In 2016, Garcia said roughly 56,000 people voted in on the last day of early voting. With numbers already getting close to that, Garcia is requesting that an additional eight polling sites be added in the final two days of early voting which would be October 29 and October 30. The county already has a total of 50 polling sites. The cost of opening the sites would cost the county an estimated $30,000. "We're already seeing between 40,000 to 50,000 people vote a day. We still have a little more than two weeks left to go," Garcia said. Commissioners will discuss the additional sites at Tuesday's meeting.