Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on Tuesday called for an extension of voting hours in Dallas and Williamson counties, amid confusion over rules requiring voters to cast ballots at assigned polling locations.
Hundreds of voters in the Dallas area have been turned away from polling locations and sent to other precincts to cast their ballots, Kardal Coleman, chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, told CNN.
Dallas County extended voting hours by two hours after Coleman obtained a court order.
Polls in Democratic precincts in the county will now stay open until 10 p.m. ET. Most of the rest of Texas closes at 8 p.m. ET, with El Paso and far West Texas closing at 9 p.m. ET.
Talarico said the extension was needed to “ensure all Texans’ voices are heard in this critical election.”
Republican officials in those counties opted to run a precinct-based primary election, ending the practice of countywide voting on Election Day.
“This was all avoidable,” Coleman said. “We didn’t have to be in this situation.”
Talarico’s opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, also denounced the changes to voting rules that led to confusion on Election Day.
“My heart is breaking,” Crockett said during a news conference Tuesday. “I’ve got people that are sending me emails. I have video recordings of voters that are crying and hurt. None of this should have happened.”
Crockett also raised concerns that the voting disruptions could affect the outcome of the primary. “Listen, this may be a very close election, and it may hinge on who was allowed to vote or who wasn’t allowed to vote in Dallas County, but I’m here to say, regardless as to whether or not it’s close or not, this is wrong,” she said.
CNN has reached out to the Dallas County Republican Party and Williamson County Republican Party officials for comment.
Allen West, the former Florida congressman who chairs the Dallas County GOP, previously defended the change, saying he prefers a precinct-based system.
Earlier Tuesday, Dallas County elections spokesman Nicholas Solorzano confirmed that election officials are “seeing quite a bit across the county” of voters being redirected to their correct precinct.
Both Talarico and Crockett are encouraging voters to check their assigned polling locations before traveling to cast their ballots.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s David Wright contributed to this report.
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