Election Day in Tarrant County: What to know, what to watch for and when we’ll get results
The presidential election and a competitive U.S. Senate race are expected to draw Texans to the polls in hordes on Tuesday, Nov. 5, including in Tarrant County, where the high-profile, top-of-ticket contests are paired with down ballot races for the state Legislature, judges and county officials.
From rules at the polls to who’s on the ballot and when to expect results on election night, there’s lots to know before, during and after voting.
We’ve broken it down.
Who’s on the ballot in Tarrant County?
The most well-known race on the ballot is undoubtedly the presidential election between former President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat.
Trump is fighting to beat Harris and win his second term after losing the 2020 election, as Harris looks for a promotion in the White House. The two candidates have put more of their efforts into swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that could say the election in their favor, but did make visits to Texas in October.
Recent polls put Trump within 2 points of winning , according to 538’s average of national surveys. Trump is around 7 points ahead on average in Texas, according to 538 on Oct. 30.
Though he lost overall, Trump won Texas in 2020 by 5.58 points. He lost Tarrant County by less than a point.
The U.S. Senate race between Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a Democrat from Dallas, has drawn national attention as Democrats try to keep control of the Senate in Washington.
In 2018, Cruz won by less than 3 percentage points against former El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke, his Democratic opponent. With Allred coming within 4 points of Cruz in recent polls, Texans could see another nail-bitter this Election Day.
Other races on the ballot include a congressional race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth and Texas House and Senate races as lawmakers prepare for the next legislative session in January.
Voters will also choose who they want to serve as Tarrant County sheriff and two new commissioners.
Voters can learn more about the candidates and where they stand on issues in the Star-Telegram’s voter guide.
What to watch for on election night
All eyes will be on the presidential race and the party-alignment in Congress when polls close on Nov. 5, but here are a few other things to watch for on election night:
Do top-of-ticket Democrats win in Tarrant County? In recent years, Democrats like Biden and O’Rourke have won historically-red Tarrant county by narrow margins. Voters will know after Tuesday whether that trend continues when they see how Harris and Allred fare in their races for president and U.S. Senate.
Who wins the race for sheriff? Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Wayborn, a Republican, won his 2020 race by about 5.4 points, but in recent months he’s been scrutinized over safety and deaths in the Tarrant County jail. Waybourn served in the Air Force and as police chief of Dalworthington Gardens before starting as sheriff in 2017. He’s up against Democrat Patrick Moses, who has held several roles in the Department of Homeland Security.
The composition of the Texas House: A number of Republican incumbents were ousted during the March primaries after being targeted by fellow Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott over his push for a voucher-like program and Attorney General Ken Paxton over his 2023 impeachment. (Paxton was later acquitted in a Senate impeachment trial.)
When to expect election results in Tarrant County
Election results in Tarrant County will be released in batches on election night.
Early voting results are expected by 7:15 p.m., followed by updates on the hour starting at 9 p.m. It could be late into the night or early Wednesday morning before all the Election Day votes are tallied and reported in Tarrant County.
One note: Votes will also likely continue to be tallied after Election Day. Mail in ballots can be received through 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, as long as they are postmarked by the time polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The deadline to receive mail-in ballots is even later for those coming from overseas and from military members. Provisional ballots will also continue to be tallied in the days after the election.
Election results for Tarrant County races will be posted on the Election Administration website. If a race spans more than one county, check results on the Texas Secretary of State’s website.
When will we know who won the presidential election?
The winner of the race between Trump and Harris may not be known on election night, as electoral college votes are tallied. That said, having an apparent winner on election night isn’t out of the question.
In most elections, candidates are picked using the popular vote, but for the presidential election, the winner is picked through the Electoral College. Each state has a certain number of electoral college votes based on its population. There are 538 electors, with Texas getting 40, the second most of any state. The number of electors in each state is the same as the number of senators and House representatives they get in Congress.
The electors in each state meet on Dec. 17 to make their votes for president. Generally when a presidential candidate wins a state’s popular vote, they get all of the state’s electoral college votes. To win, a candidate needs at least 270 votes.
The electoral votes are certified by Congress on Jan. 6.
Checking your voter registration status in Texas
Voters unsure whether they’re registered to vote can check their voter registration status with Texas Secretary of State. Voters can also check their registration status and find a personalized example ballot on the Tarrant County election website.
Where to vote in Tarrant County and what to expect
A full list of Tarrant County polling locations on Election Day is available on the Tarrant County election website. Voters can go to any poll of their choosing on Election Day, like with early voting.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters who are in line by 7 p.m. should remain in line, as they’re still allowed to vote.
Tarrant County utilizes a voting system that’s a combination of electronic and paper. Election workers provide a paper ballot that is inserted in a machine with a screen where voters will make their candidate selections. After picks are made, a paper ballot is printed that the voter should review.
That paper is then inserted into another machine that counts the votes.
What to (and not to) bring as you head to the polls
When you get to the polls, have a form of identification handy. Accepted forms of voter ID are:
- Texas driver’s license
- Texas election identification certificate
- Texas personal identification card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military identification card containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. passport (book or card)
Voters without one of the above forms of identification can submit a reasonable impediment declaration along with an alternative form of identification, such as a utility bill, original paycheck, bank statement, government check or voter registration certificate.
There are several things not to bring to the polls when you go to vote, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
- Voters cannot wear apparel related to a candidate, ballot measure or political party (even if they’re not on the ballot) within 100 feet of a polling place.
- Cell phones, cameras, tablets, laptops and audio recorders cannot be used within 100 feet of a voting station.
- Only licensed peace officers can carry handguns at polling places.
Voting problems and accommodations
The American with Disabilities Act requires that those disabilities have “a full and equal opportunity to vote,” according Tarrant County’s election office.
The office’s says there are systems at each Tarrant County polling place to aid people who are blind or have limited vision or have limited dexterity with voting.
Curbside voting is an option for those who have trouble walking or standing for an extended period.
Voters are also allowed to have someone assist them in voting or use an interpreter, if needed, though there are rules around who can assist them. The assistant cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of their employer or an officer or agent of their union, according to VoteTexas.gov.
Questions about voting or troubles with the process can be reported to Tarrant County’s election office at 817-831-8683. Additionally, possible voting rights problems can be reported to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-252-8683. Election integrity complaints can be submitted to the sheriff’s office online or to 817-884-1213.
More about voters’ rights is available on votetexas.gov/your-rights.
Voting by mail in Tarrant County
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot has already passed for the Nov. 5 general election.
Those who are have applied and are eligible to vote by mail should send their filled out ballots to PO Box 961011, Fort Worth, TX, 76161-0011.
They can also be delivered in person to Tarrant County Elections at 2700 Premier St., Fort Worth, TX, 76111-3011
Applications must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day if the ballot is not postmarked. If postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day, the the deadline for the ballot to be received is 5 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 6.
This story was originally published November 1, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
