Tarrant County faces lawsuit over new commissioner precincts
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The Tarrant County Commissioners new map (right) to change the county's previous precinct boundaries (left). Maps: Courtesy of Tarrant County
Five Tarrant County residents are suing to block the county's redrawn Commissioners Court precincts, saying the new boundaries will unfairly impact Black and Latino voters starting next year.
Why it matters: The redistricting is likely to reshape the court, which oversees county government, and give Republicans an edge over Democrats in upcoming elections.
Driving the news: Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the new map on Tuesday, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposing, after a meeting that stretched seven hours and had hundreds of speakers.
- Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare, who voted in favor of the new map, said it will make the county's governance more conservative.
Between the lines: It's rare for counties to redraw precincts in the middle of a decade. Redistricting typically happens every 10 years when census figures are updated.
Friction point: O'Hare said on X that the updated boundaries align with the county's "longstanding conservative majority" and reflect "the will of the voters."
- The map's critics say it was drawn using outdated census data — not reflecting the county's recent growth — and will unfairly favor Republicans in future elections.
- Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen and several other mayors in Tarrant County had asked the commissioners to delay redistricting until more up-to-date demographic figures were released.
State of play: County records show the previous Precincts 1 and 2 mostly favored Democratic candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and president since 2018, while Precincts 3 and 4 favored Republicans.
- The newly drawn Precincts 1, 2 and 3 have historically favored Republican candidates, per the county.
Context: Redistricting is just one part of the Tarrant County judge's efforts to make Tarrant County more conservative.
- During O'Hare's tenure, the county has become an example of the impact that far-right Republicans can have in local government.
The big picture: The county has added at least 400,000 residents since 2010 and has been politically purple in recent elections. President Trump lost the county in 2020 and won in 2024, while U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz narrowly lost last year.
- Unofficial Census Bureau figures from July 2024 show Tarrant County is 42% white, 31% Hispanic or Latino, 19% Black and 6% Asian.
Yes, but: Since taking office in 2023, O'Hare has cut an organization's funding over its views on racial inequality and LGBTQ+ rights, questioned election integrity despite having no proof, and supported the placement of a Ten Commandments monument on county property.
The intrigue: Higher-ranking Texas Republicans have also taken an interest in Tarrant County's politics in recent years.
- Republican Matt Krause served in the Texas House between 2013 and 2023. He is now a Tarrant County commissioner for Precinct 3.
- The redrawn districts put Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium and Texas Live! in Krause's precinct. The area was previously in Precinct 2, represented by Democrat Alisa Simmons.
- State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, a Republican from Arlington, plans to retire from the Texas House and run for the redrawn Precinct 2. He told the Star-Telegram that the commissioners' redistricting vote "nudged" his decision.
What they're saying: The federal lawsuit against Tarrant County alleges that the new precincts will "pack the bulk of the County's minority voters into a single precinct."
The other side: "Far too often Democrats take ground while Republicans cede it. This is no longer the case in Tarrant County," O'Hare said in a statement on X this week.
What's next: The new precinct map will go into effect for the primary and general elections next year, unless the courts block it from taking effect.
- O'Hare's position and Precincts 2 and 4 are up for election in 2026.