Sept. 18, 2025
OP-ED FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janet Mattern, President
lwvtarrant@gmail.com
Our commissioners approved maps to select their voters. Tarrant County Voters, not politicians should make these decisions.
Before Texas engaged in a discriminatory power grab of 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 the nearunanimous objections from members of the public from all backgrounds, including the nonpartisan organization that I
represent, the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County—which seeks to protect the right to vote for all citizens.
The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. Our mission is to defend
democracy and empower voters.
We won’t be ignored. Last month, the League and our partners at the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 4568 filed suit, asking the Tarrant County district court to permanently enjoin the unlawful and racially discriminatory precinct map. We have a hearing before the district court to order the Commissioners Court to use the lawful, and
vetted 2021 Commissioner precinct map for our elections in 2026.
While Texans are no strangers to political power plays, what’s happening here should alarm anyone who cares about fair
elections, regardless of political party. Redistricting is not a tool for a politician’s toolbox. It is a process where
constituents and their representatives 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, they 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 like Arlington. The redistricting process must be
transparent, with full disclosure and hold meaningful public hearings. Commissioners should facilitate the creation of
(817) 348-VOTE (8683) P.O. Box 100175 Fort Worth, TX 76185 www.lwvtarrantcounty.org 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. Led by County Judge Tim O’Hare, this past year alone, they
have voted to cut in half the number of Commissioners Court meetings to avoid public accountability and removed over
100 polling places for the upcoming election, making it harder to vote. At the last Commissioners Court meeting, I
watched as my fellow County neighbors unanimously spoke out in favor of reinstating some of the closed Election Day
polling places—and yet County Judge O’Hare and the Commissioners Court voted down the proposal without any
explanation. Make no mistake, this 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 our 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.
As residents of Tarrant County, we can act too. Those who want to stay informed and engaged can join organizations like
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 this lawsuit to fight against voter suppression and racial discrimination in redistricting to 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.
Janet Mattern
Janet Mattern is the President of the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, a nonpartisan organization dedicated
to providing voter education and services and advocating for democracy.
(817) 348-VOTE (8683)
P.O. Box 100175 Fort Worth, TX 76185
