Tarrant County's elections administrator wants to eliminate 92 Election Day polling sites ahead of the November midterms, a scaled-back version of a July proposal that drew public backlash.

Elections Administrator Clint Ludwig's revised plan would leave 224 Election Day locations and 47 early voting sites for the Nov. 3 election, the Fort Worth Report reported Friday, Aug. 28.

In 2022, the county used 316 Election Day sites and 50 early voting locations.

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on the plan Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The original July proposal listed the Colleyville Public Library as an early voting site slated for elimination.

Whether that location remains on the revised cut list is unclear because the full site list has not been published.

Ludwig's original proposal in late July would have slashed 140 Election Day sites, dropping the total to 176.

That 45% cut prompted opposition from residents, activists and elected officials. Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 4 to delay the decision, with County Judge Tim O'Hare saying from the dais, "I'm not comfortable with 176 election sites. I think that's way too large a cut."

Ludwig said he did not consult commissioners before drafting the first list. The revised version reflects their input, according to the Fort Worth Report.

O'Hare said in a news release Aug. 28 that the revised plan ensures no voter should feel they lack enough time to vote. Ludwig said the plan concentrates locations where voters actually cast ballots and where facilities best meet accessibility and operational standards.

Commissioner Matt Krause, who represents Precinct 3, posted on X on Aug. 28 that the revised plan adds 12 Election Day sites per commissioner precinct and distributes locations evenly across all four precincts.

Civil rights groups are not satisfied. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, joined by the Texas Civil Rights Project, the ACLU of Texas and Common Cause Texas, issued a letter Aug. 28 urging commissioners to reject the plan. The groups called the proposal "a voter suppression tactic designed to impede Black voters and other voters of color."

Data scientist Brody Mulligan analyzed the original July proposal and found it would have cut polling locations in minority communities by 57%, compared to 35% in predominantly white areas, CBS Texas reported.

The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 11 to oppose the reductions and urged commissioners to distribute sites equitably.

More than 1.3 million people are registered to vote in Tarrant County. The November ballot includes the county judge race, where O'Hare is running, and two commissioner seats, including Commissioner Manny Ramirez's.

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5. Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 30.