Texas Primary Ballots Cast During Extended Voting Hours Remain in Limbo

The fate of votes in Dallas and Williamson counties is uncertain after the state Supreme Court stepped in.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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It remains unclear whether ballots cast during extended polling place hours in Texas' primary election will be counted in two counties that saw mass confusion over voting locations. The Texas Supreme Court has ordered the ballots from Dallas and Williamson counties to be set aside, and election officials are awaiting direction on whether they should be included in the final vote totals.

Why it matters

The issue has raised concerns about voter disenfranchisement, as some voters were reportedly turned away from polling places and directed to other locations due to the confusion. The outcome could impact key races, including the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

The details

In Dallas County, a judge ordered polls to remain open for two hours past the scheduled 7 p.m. closing time, citing 'voter confusion so severe' that it caused the county election office's website to crash. The extension applied only to Democratic voting precincts. However, the Texas Attorney General's office challenged the lower court's ruling, and the state Supreme Court subsequently stayed both the Dallas and Williamson county decisions, ordering the late ballots to be segregated.

  • On Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court stepped in to stay a lower court's ruling extending polling place hours in Dallas County.
  • As of Wednesday afternoon, county election officials in Dallas and Williamson counties were still waiting for direction on whether the late ballots should be included in the final vote totals.

The players

Terri Burke

Executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

Ken Paxton

Texas Attorney General, who advanced to a runoff Tuesday against Sen. John Cornyn for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

Emily French

Policy director for Common Cause Texas, a voting advocacy group.

Anthony Gutierrez

Executive director of Common Cause Texas.

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What they’re saying

“In a lot of ways, nobody was surprised by the writ from the Supreme Court last night.”

— Terri Burke, Executive director of the Texas Democratic Party (taylorvilledailynews.com)

“There is a case to be made, and we can document it, there were people who were disenfranchised.”

— Terri Burke, Executive director of the Texas Democratic Party (taylorvilledailynews.com)

“It is standard for ballots that are cast during extended poll hours to be set aside.”

— Emily French, Policy director for Common Cause Texas (taylorvilledailynews.com)

“We are continuing to monitor this situation and will be weighing all options to ensure every Texan is able to have their vote counted.”

— Anthony Gutierrez, Executive director of Common Cause Texas (taylorvilledailynews.com)

What’s next

Election officials in Dallas and Williamson counties are awaiting direction from the state on whether the ballots cast during the extended polling hours will be counted.

The takeaway

The uncertainty surrounding the late ballots in Texas highlights the ongoing challenges of ensuring fair and accessible elections, particularly in the face of changing voting rules and potential voter disenfranchisement. The outcome could have significant implications for key races in the state.