DALLAS — A group of Democratic candidates in Dallas County requested a temporary restraining order Friday to keep early voting polls open longer hours after several polling locations were closed this week for winter weather.
Andrew Sommerman, a candidate for county commissioners court District 2, filed the request on behalf of himself and four other candidates for judge: Maria Aceves, Dan Patterson, Dominique Torres Williams and Nancy Mulder. The Dallas County Democratic Party also joined the filing.
“Traditionally, many voters rely on polling hours that are outside of the workday, or on weekends,” Sommerman said in a prepared statement. “Given the disruptions this week, we think the closings should be taken into account and we should provide access to the polls on Saturday, or extend hours today.”
Several polling locations in the county were closed Wednesday or had a delayed start Thursday. The restraining order requests that polls stay open late Friday or be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Polls will also be open on Election Day, Tuesday, March 1.
In Travis County, polls will remain open until 10 p.m. Friday due to similar closures there.
Throughout his primary campaign, Sommerman has criticized Republican-led changes to voting law, saying they limit access to the polls. The county’s Republican Party declined to join the legal effort to keep polls open Friday, Sommerman said.
“The Republican Party already did serious damage to our voting access in the last legislative session,” Sommerman said. “They shouldn’t also have the weather on their side.”
