Tarrant redistricting is a power grab that hurts Black, Hispanic voters | Opinion

Before Texas engaged in a discriminatory power grab by drawing new congressional districts, Tarrant County did it first with its commissioner precincts.

In June, the Commissioners Court adopted a precinct map that dilutes the power of Black and Latino residents by hampering their ability to elect a candidate of their choice in Precinct 2. They did so over strenuous objections from members of the public from all backgrounds, including the nonpartisan organization that I represent, the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County.

The League of Women Voters seeks to protect the right to vote for all citizens. It does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. Our mission is to defend democracy and empower voters.

While Texans are no strangers to political power plays, what’s happening here should alarm anyone who cares about fair elections, regardless of party. Redistricting should not be a tool for a politician’s toolbox. Constituents and their representatives should work together to ensure equal representation for all. In Tarrant County residents of color now make up a majority. Yet instead of reflecting these demographic trends, the new map undercuts the voting power of Black and brown communities.

Our county government can do things the right way. In 2021, it hired a Texas law firm that assessed the population apportionment and demographic makeup of each precinct and identified the criteria required for redistricting that would ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act. This time, the Commissioners Court did not consider the priorities of Tarrant County residents, particularly those in hard hit communities such as Arlington.

The redistricting process must be transparent, with full disclosure and hold meaningful public hearings. Commissioners should facilitate the creation of maps that comply with the Voting Rights Act and impart respect and value to the minority-majority representatives democratically elected by Tarrant County voters.

This is not an isolated fight over lines on a map. The same commissioners who voted for this unlawful map are also working to silence Tarrant County residents in other ways. This year alone, led by County Judge Tim O’Hare, they have voted to cut in half the number of Commissioners Court meetings to avoid public accountability and removed more than 100 polling places for the upcoming election, making it harder to vote.

At the last Commissioners Court meeting, I watched as my fellow county residents unanimously spoke out in favor of reinstating some of the closed Election Day polling places, and yet O’Hare and the Commissioners Court voted down the proposal without any explanation.

Make no mistake, their unlawful map is a power grab. Our county deserves better.

This silencing isn’t happening in a vacuum. It is part of a broader statewide effort to take away power from local communities and to lock in political advantage at the expense of fair representation. In fact, the very same non-Texan who drew the unlawful map in Tarrant County helped to draw the statewide map, too.

There is important work to be done at the state and federal levels. Congress should pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore critical voter protections gutted by the Supreme Court.

Residents of Tarrant County can act, too. Those who want to stay informed and engaged can join organizations such as the League of Women Voters, where we fight to protect every Texan’s right to fair representation. Across the state, residents must pay close attention to bills moving through the Legislature that affect voting rights and weigh in with their state lawmakers when necessary.

Finally, citizens must keep watch in Tarrant County. It is critical to show up at Commissioners Court meetings and speak out when something looks wrong.

We are proud to join a lawsuit to fight voter suppression and racial discrimination in redistricting and protect fair representation for our entire community. Our democracy only works if it works for everyone. When maps are drawn to silence voters of color, that principle is broken. Tarrant County can and must do better.

We won’t be ignored. Last month, the League and our partners at the League of United Latin American Citizens Council No. 4568 filed suit, asking a Tarrant County district court to permanently enjoin the unlawful and racially discriminatory precinct map. On Sept. 25, our legal team at the Texas Civil Rights Project and the Wilkie Farr & Gallagher law firm presented our case. We are waiting for the judge’s decision. It is our hope that the lawful and vetted 2021 Commissioner precinct map will be used for the 2026 elections.

Janet Mattern is president of the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing voter education and services and advocating for democracy.

This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 4:23 AM.