Jim Wells County adopts resolution opposing elimination of countywide voting program

The Jim Wells County Commissioner's Court on Feb. 10 adopted a resolution opposing proposed state legislation to eliminate countywide polling-place voting in Texas.

The resolution, presented to the court by Mr. Goode, says state proposals would remove a program under which any voter in a participating county can vote at any polling location during early voting and on election day. "We bring a resolution today. There are, currently 4 bills, at our capital that are seeking to eliminate poll books, and things associated with the county wide voting program," Mr. Goode said.

The county applied to participate in the countywide voting program in 2022 and ran a trial during the May uniform election that year, Mr. Goode told the court. The county held a public stakeholders meeting after that election and subsequently entered the program. Under countywide voting, early voting locations are countywide and, on election day, voters may cast ballots at any precinct polling place rather than being restricted to a single precinct location.

Mr. Goode told commissioners that 99 of Texas’ 254 counties participate in the countywide program. He and other speakers told the court the measure reduces provisional ballots and printing costs for individual precincts.

Commissioners voiced support and moved to approve the resolution. The motion carried; the transcript records the motion, a second and the court adopting the resolution, but it does not list a roll-call tally for individual members.

Why it matters: Countywide voting changes where voters may cast ballots on election day and thus affects election administration, provisional-ballot rates and precinct-level printing costs. The resolution asks state legislators to retain counties’ ability to operate countywide polling-place programs.

The court did not record a roll-call vote count in the transcript; the motion was approved by voice vote.