Dallas voter says poll workers tried to take back her ballot after long wait

Kerra Scott says she was asked to return her ballot after waiting over 4 hours to vote in the primary election.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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After waiting more than 4 hours to vote in the Dallas County Democratic primary, a voter named Kerra Scott said election workers asked her to return her ballot, leaving her feeling like her community's voice was not heard. The confusion stemmed from a court order that extended voting hours, which the Texas Supreme Court later overturned.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about voter access and the potential for chaos at polling places, especially during primary elections where political parties run their own elections. It raises questions about how well election officials prepared for and communicated changes to voting procedures on election day.

The details

Kerra Scott said she was turned away from her usual polling place and had to go to a different location, where hundreds of voters were already waiting in line. She was given a provisional ballot, but after the Texas Supreme Court overturned an order extending voting hours, the situation inside the polling place became chaotic. A veteran Democratic precinct judge described the night as unlike anything she had experienced.

  • On Tuesday night, Scott waited more than 4 hours to vote in the Dallas County Democratic primary.
  • Earlier in the evening, Scott was turned away from her usual polling place at the Lancaster Veterans Memorial Library.
  • By the time Scott arrived at the correct polling location at Houston Elementary School, it was nearly 6 p.m. and hundreds of voters were already waiting in line.
  • After the Texas Supreme Court overturned a lower court order that extended voting hours, Scott said the situation inside the polling place quickly became chaotic.

The players

Kerra Scott

A Dallas County voter who waited more than 4 hours to vote in the Democratic primary election.

Carolyn Morris

A Democratic precinct judge in Lancaster who has served for 30 years and described the night as unlike anything she had experienced.

Dallas County Elections Department

The department responsible for administering elections in Dallas County, which said it is reviewing the situation with the election workers assigned to the polling location where the incident occurred.

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What they’re saying

“A group of people just standing there, literally dumbstruck as to how you could ask me to give you a blank ballot in my name that has my information all over it.”

— Kerra Scott (cbsnews.com)

“It was terrible. I've never seen anything like it, which led me to strongly believe this was just more than chaos.”

— Carolyn Morris, Democratic precinct judge in Lancaster (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The Dallas County Elections Department said it is reviewing the situation with the election workers assigned to the polling location where the incident occurred.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of ensuring fair and accessible elections, especially during primary elections where political parties run their own processes. It raises questions about how well election officials communicated and prepared for changes to voting procedures on election day.