Early voters in Texas cast their ballots as immigration, abortion and the economy play a major role

Thousands of Texans cast their ballots on Monday, the first day of early voting, with many saying immigration, abortion and the economy influenced their votes.

Lines snaked outside several polling locations across North Texas, including the Oak Lawn Branch Library in Dallas and the Carpenter Park Recreation Center in Plano.

Voters said the presidential duel between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, would clearly set the direction of the country. But many cited other races — including the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and challenger Colin Allred, a Democrat, and the Dallas Charter changes — as top priorities.

“This is the most important election of my life,” said 57-year-old Tammy Scheller, who cast her vote at the Tarrant County Board of Elections office in Fort Worth. “I’m pro-life, so this is a very big deal for me.”

As of Monday afternoon, no widespread problems or machine malfunctions had been reported in North Texas, providing some relief to voters. Some groups have raised concerns about the security of voting, even as election officials have repeatedly assured that voting is safe.

The Dallas County Republican Party issued a long list of concerns about voting machines last week, but a state investigation found no problems. GOP District Chairman Allen West wrote on X on Monday morning that he voted and reported no issues in his post.

On Monday, voters overwhelmingly said they did not want to wait until Nov. 5, Election Day, to vote because long lines or severe weather could disrupt their plans.

“This election is too important for technical difficulties,” said Regina Anderson, a 57-year-old attorney, before voting at the Southside Community Center in Fort Worth. “I want a president who is there for all people, not just some.”

Collin County residents line up

Late Monday morning, a line formed outside the John and Judy Gay Library in McKinney, one of the busiest polling places in Collin County. Several people told it The Dallas Morning News They waited 20 to 30 minutes to vote but reported no problems or significant delays within the voting areas.

Among them was Susan Gaston, 75, of McKinney, who said she voted for Harris and Allred for a long list of reasons, including women's reproductive rights, trust in elections and preventing Republicans from implementing Project 2025 .

Project 2025 is essentially a plan to help Trump reshape the federal government if he wins the election. But the document sparked concern among Democrats and some independent voters.

“I think there are a lot of voters who haven’t read this and are barely aware of it,” Gaston said.

Debra Otero, 54, said she was initially turned away from entering the library polling station because she was wearing a hat supporting Trump. Voters in Texas are allowed to wear political T-shirts that support a candidate or measure – only if they do not appear on the ballot in the current election.

“He did everything for our country. He has given us so much. “I’m a small business owner, he gave me so many breaks,” Otero said of Trump. “And all the veterans, all my veteran friends, were cheering for him. Biden came in and destroyed everything.”

In nearby Allen, election judge Bill Barden said people began arriving to vote at the Allen ISD Service Center at 6:20 a.m., 40 minutes before the polls opened. County election officials installed voting machines at the site after the primary.

Dallas voters

At Dallas College's West Dallas Center, immigration was the top concern for many voters. Linda Brown, 70, who lives in West Dallas, said she voted to secure the southern U.S. border, which she said has become unlawful.

Trump has vowed to lead historic mass deportations even as arrests for crossing the border illegally fell 33% this summer to their lowest level since September 2020, driven by the temporary suspension of asylum.

“We need to make sure our border is protected,” Brown said. “Too many people come in.”

Immigration also attracted Issah Tan, 33, a telecommunications engineer who was voting at the West Dallas Center, who said the U.S. needs to be friendlier to immigrants. Tan, who immigrated from the Philippines, said immigrants are a key factor in the country's success.

“America has a lot of resources and a lot of space to share with others,” Tan said. “There is a lot to do.”

Mark Grace, 68, said he was particularly concerned about Propositions S, T and U, which would make it easier for Dallas residents to sue the city in certain cases and give the community a chance to influence it , whether the city manager will be fired or given salary bonuses , and order Dallas to spend more on police hiring, pay and benefits.

Proponents say the proposals would improve public safety and government transparency, but opponents say it would devastate the city.

“I’m voting no and telling everyone I know to vote no,” Grace said. “What this amounts to is big money trying to take over the city.”