Thousands of Texans cast their ballots on Monday, the first day of early voting, and many said immigration, abortion and the economy were driving their votes.
Lines snaked outside several polling places in North Texas, including the Oak Lawn Branch Library in Dallas and the Carpenter Park Recreation Center in Plano.
Voters said the presidential contest between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump will clearly determine the direction of the country. But many cite other races as their top priorities, including the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger Colin Allred, and the Dallas Charter Amendment.
People line up to vote outside the Oak Lawn branch library polling place on the first day of early voting, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (Elias Valverde II/Staff Photographer)
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“This is the most important election of my lifetime,” said Tammy Scherer, 57, who voted at the Tarrant County Elections Office in Fort Worth. “I’m pro-life, so this is a huge deal to me.”
By mid-afternoon Monday, no major problems or mechanical failures had been reported in North Texas, giving voters a sense of relief. Despite repeated assurances from election officials that voting is safe, some groups are stoking concerns about voting security.
The Dallas County Republican Party last week announced a long list of concerns about voting machines, but state inspections found no problems. Republican County Chairman Allen West I wrote to X on Monday morning. He voted and reported no problems with his post.
On Monday, an overwhelming majority of voters said they did not want to wait until Election Day, Nov. 5, to vote, when long lines and bad weather could disrupt plans.
“This election is too important given the technical issues,” Regina Anderson, a 57-year-old lawyer, said before voting at Fort Worth’s Southside Community Center. “I want a president who will serve all people, not just a few.”
Related: Abortion is on the ballot in 10 states this election. Why not Texas?
Collin County residents line up
Late Monday morning, lines stretched outside the John and Judy Gay Library in McKinney, one of the busiest polling places in Collin County. Several people told The Dallas Morning News they waited 20 to 30 minutes to vote, but did not report any problems or significant delays inside the voting area.
Among them is McKinney resident Susan Gaston, 75, who cited Harris for a long list of reasons, including women’s reproductive rights, trust in elections, and preventing Republicans from implementing Project 2025. said he voted for Allred.
Project 2025 is essentially a blueprint to help reorganize the federal government if Trump wins the election. But the document sparked alarm from Democrats and some independent voters.
“I think there are a lot of people who are voting who have never read it and are barely aware of it,” Gaston said.
Debra Otero, 54, said she was initially refused entry to the library’s polling place because she was wearing a pro-Trump hat. Voters in Texas are allowed to wear political shirts in support of a candidate or policy as long as they don’t appear on the ballot in this election.
“He’s done everything for our country. He’s given us so much. I’m a small business owner, and he’s given me so much. He gave me a vacation,” Otero said of Trump. “And all the veterans, all my veteran friends, were rooting for him. Biden came along and destroyed everything.”
dallas voters
At the University of Dallas’ West Dallas Center, immigration topped many voters’ concerns. Linda Brown, 70, of West Dallas, said she voted to protect the lawless southern U.S. border.
President Trump has promised to lead historic mass deportations, but the asylum moratorium caused arrests for illegal border crossings to plummet by 33% this summer, the lowest level since September 2020.
“We have to make sure our borders are secure,” Brown said. “There are too many people.”
People line up to vote outside the Oak Lawn branch library polling place on the first day of early voting, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (Elias Valverde II/Staff Photographer)
Issa Tan, 33, a telecommunications engineer from West Dallas Center, also called for a vote on immigration, saying the U.S. needs to be more welcoming to immigrants. Tan, who immigrated from the Philippines, said immigrants are essential to the country’s success.
“America has a lot of resources and space to share with other countries,” Tan said. “There’s a lot to go around.”
Mark Grace, 68, said he is especially concerned about Propositions S, T and U. The proposal would make it easier for Dallas residents to sue the city in certain cases and give local communities more power to influence whether city managers are fired or receive bonuses. , and requires Dallas to spend more on hiring, salaries and benefits for police officers.
Supporters say the proposal would improve public safety and government transparency, but opponents say it would devastate cities.
“I’m voting no, and I’m telling everyone I know to vote no,” Grace said. “This boils down to big money trying to take over the city.”
Here’s what to watch in Texas as early voting begins and Election Day approaches Democrats target the last two Dallas County Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives
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