Overview
- At 10:11 p.m. Tuesday, the court suspended a trial judge’s order that extended voting to 10 p.m. at two Georgetown sites, directing that ballots from voters who arrived at or after 7 p.m. not be counted unless the court rules otherwise.
- Dallas County received a similar temporary stay, with ballots from voters not in line by 7 p.m. ordered to be separated as officials awaited guidance on Wednesday.
- The late-night legal fight followed long lines and confusion tied to a return to precinct-only primaries, with 150 to 200 people still in line at 7 p.m. at the affected Georgetown locations.
- The Attorney General’s office objected to the extension after receiving less than the one-hour notice now required for emergency hearings, a procedural issue the high court cited in halting the orders.
- Differences in party-run operations contributed to delays, as Republicans used separate precinct boxes without scanners while Democrats used on-site scanners and a single box, and only Democrats accepted the county’s offer of extra equipment.