Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare (R) is putting election security at the center of his reelection campaign, pointing to numbered paper ballots, tighter chain-of-custody procedures and public access to ballot images as evidence of changes the county adopted during his first term.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, O’Hare faces Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons (D-Precinct 2) in the November 3 general election.
“Every voter, no matter whom they support, deserves to know their ballot is secure and counted accurately. That is exactly what we delivered in Tarrant County, and it is a record I am proud to run on,” O’Hare told The Dallas Express.
County reforms become campaign pitch
O’Hare’s campaign website credits him with championing numbered paper ballots, stronger ballot chain-of-custody rules and the elimination of internet-based results transmission.
In October 2024, O’Hare published a broader 16-point list of county election changes. It included enhanced training for election judges and clerks, expanded video surveillance of ballot storage, tighter access controls for electronic poll books, physical and cybersecurity assessments of election offices, and an Election Integrity Task Force to review allegations of election-related crimes.
The county elections website confirms that members of the public can search cast ballot images and Cast Vote Records beginning with the March 2024 primary. It also directs election-related complaints to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
County officials previously described the security changes as a combined effort by the elections administrator, Election Board and Commissioners Court, based on county leadership and outside analysis. The campaign credits O’Hare with the record, while county agencies carried out many of the changes.
Task force faces scrutiny
The Election Integrity Task Force has drawn questions over what its investigations have produced.
The sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices had received or investigated 82 complaints by June 2024, but none had led to charges or prosecutions at that point, FOX 4 reported. The sheriff and district attorney later declined to appear for a requested June 2026 briefing, saying they had not received enough time to prepare, KERA reported.
Simmons has criticized the task force as unnecessary and questioned its output. Yet she has also made election integrity part of her own campaign, saying in a post that she would propose an Election Integrity Officer to investigate voter fraud if elected.
Prior voter-fraud case
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, O’Hare called for stronger citizenship verification after federal prosecutors filed a complaint against Eliseo Morales-Tapia, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States, on March 20. The complaint charges him with identity theft, voter fraud and passport fraud.
Federal authorities allege Morales-Tapia used a stolen identity to obtain government documents and cast a ballot in Tarrant County on November 5, 2024. A federal complaint alleges criminal conduct, and the law presumes Morales-Tapia innocent unless a court finds him guilty.
“This case is a serious reminder that election integrity, border security, and the rule of law must remain non-negotiable priorities,” O’Hare told The Dallas Express in April.
His campaign said he would continue prioritizing election security and transparency if voters give him a second term.
Provided by Dallas Express
