Politically Competitive. Culturally Diverse.
Once considered one of the most reliably Republican large urban counties in America, Tarrant County has become one of the most closely watched political battlegrounds in the state.
James Talarico has called Tarrant County the “bellwether of Texas,” describing it as representative of the state in a single county. TCU political scientist Jim Riddlesperger has described its mix of urban and suburban communities as a cross-section of the voters who increasingly decide elections. Even Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser and conservative strategist, recently declared: “As Tarrant County goes, so goes Texas.”
The fight over voting access suggests local Republican leaders understand the stakes, too.
Ahead of the November 2026 election, Tarrant County’s Republican-controlled Commissioners Court voted along party lines to eliminate 92 Election Day polling locations used during the 2022 midterms, reducing the number from 316 to 224. Whatever the motivation, it just got a lot more difficult for voters in Tarrant to exercise their right to vote in one of the most politically consequential counties in Texas.
That’s where we come in.
Turn Up Texas isn’t trying to recreate another partisan institution. We’re building an on-ramp for Texans who may be dissatisfied with the direction of their state but don’t necessarily think of themselves as Democrats or political activists.
We help them understand what’s happening in their communities, find candidates worth supporting, navigate the voting process, and turn interest into action. Want to help? Join us!