Appeals Court Denies Libertarian Ballot Board Request
Court rejects emergency bid to limit Republican seats on the Tarrant County early voting ballot board.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Political Parties
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The 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth denied an emergency request from the Libertarian Party seeking to limit Republican representation on the Tarrant County early voting ballot board. The Libertarian Party is considering possibly appealing to the Texas Supreme Court.
Why it matters
State election code requires equal representation for each political party on a county's early voting board, which verifies mail-in ballots. The dispute centers on whether scheduling practices upheld that requirement in Texas's Tarrant County.
The filings allege 14 Republicans were chosen for the elections board while only three Democrats and three Libertarians were selected, a split that conflicts with the equal-representation rule in state election code. The case has not been decided on its merits, and the Libertarian Party has not confirmed whether it will seek review from the Texas Supreme Court.
The players
Libertarian Party
A national minority political party in the United States that advocates limited government and free-market principles, and is a party on the Tarrant County ballot.
Steven Lawrence
The attorney representing the Libertarian Party in its lawsuit over early voting ballot board scheduling in Tarrant County.
The details
The Libertarian Party alleges that Republican ballot board judge Amie Super broke election code by scheduling board members in a lopsided manner. Elizabeth Miller, the party's early voting ballot board member, was not scheduled by Super for the majority of early voting, according to the filings, and attorney Steven Lawrence represents the party in the suit.
Timeline
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: The 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth denied the Libertarian Party's emergency request.
Big Picture
The case turns on the Texas Election Code's equal-representation requirement for early voting ballot boards, which applies to every party on a county ballot. Whether Tarrant County's scheduling met that standard will shape how the requirement is applied to party-represented boards statewide.
The ruling leaves the current early voting ballot board in place for Texas voters in Tarrant County. Mail-in ballots are verified by this board, so its composition affects how those ballots are handled.
The takeaway
Equal party representation on election boards is a safeguard that depends on how boards are staffed and scheduled, so readers should watch whether the Libertarian Party pursues a Texas Supreme Court appeal.
Further reading
Explore more on Political Parties coverage across Texas.
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