Denton County residents split over proposal for countywide election-day voting

DENTON, Texas — Residents and precinct election workers urged Denton County Commissioners Court on Aug. 19 to either keep precinct-based polling or adopt countywide election-day voting, illustrating a sharp split among speakers over access, confusion and system reliability.

Supporters of countywide election-day voting argued the county’s rapid growth will create more redirected voters at busy sites and that a countywide system would better serve workers and residents who work, shop or attend school outside their home precinct. Jane Schultz, who said she lives in Robson Ranch, told the court that county data from the May 3 election show growing redirect rates and urged action: “Please give our voters countywide election day voting now.”

Opponents, many of them precinct chairs and long-time election volunteers, said vote centers could create confusion, longer lines and lower turnout. Elizabeth Hopkins, precinct chair for 1035 in Little Elm and an elections judge, said: “Voting centers are gonna result in more confusion, longer commutes, longer lines, thus shorter tempers, and reduced voter turnout.” Lois McDougal, precinct chair 1034 in Little Elm, cited equipment and operational failures in other large jurisdictions and called those examples “confusion.”

Dan Burnham, a resident who spoke after Schultz, said he opposes closing existing precinct polling sites and questioned proposals he said tied closing precinct polling places directly to broader voter-access changes. “I oppose closing down any of the voter, polling sites due to growth and due to current usage,” Burnham said.

Melinda Preston, a longtime poll worker who said many newcomers choose Denton County because of its voting system, defended the county’s current mix of early voting, vote centers and precinct election-day locations as “a system that is proven, secure, and built to preserve election integrity.” She added, “our process works. It's well organized, transparent, and treats voters with respect.”

Speakers referenced localized data and examples: the county’s May 3 election produced redirect counts at some sites — the Denton Civic Center and North Lakes Recreation Center among them — and speakers said those redirect figures show current strain at busy locations. Several commenters warned that continuing residential and commercial growth will raise the number of redirected voters unless the county revises how election-day voting is organized.

Court members did not take action during public comment; the remarks were part of the meeting’s public-input period. Commissioners have previously discussed vote centers and early-voting arrangements and may consider whether to change precinct-based or countywide practices in future meetings.

Public comment speakers at the Aug. 19 meeting who addressed vote-center policy included Jane Schultz (resident), Dan Burnham (resident), Elizabeth Hopkins (precinct chair, elections judge), Lois McDougal (precinct chair, election clerk) and Melinda Preston (poll worker and resident).