Ranking Member Morelle, Congresswoman Julie Johnson, Host Roundtable on Protecting the Right to Vote in Dallas
DALLAS, TX — On Monday, April 13, 2026, Ranking Member Joe Morelle (NY-25), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, held a roundtable discussion with Committee Member Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) focused on protecting the right to vote and assessing the Voter Outreach for Transparent Elections (VOTE) Act.
During the roundtable, Morelle and Johnson discussed with the experts how the VOTE Act would help improve our elections. The VOTE Act will establish clear, minimum notification requirements to ensure voters are promptly informed of any polling place changes, so no one is disenfranchised due to confusion or lack of notice. Committee Members also heard from experts about what federal support is needed for elections following voter suppression and widespread confusion during Dallas County’s primaries held in March.
“While Dallas County did everything in its power to inform voters about polling place changes, confusion was a predictable outcome. Some polling locations were not even publicized until the first day of early voting, forcing election administrators to operate on the fly in an incredibly short time frame,” said Ranking Member Morelle. “Congresswoman Johnson’s VOTE Act will solve this problem by creating a federal standard for voter notification, ensuring that voters are informed of polling place changes before the next election.”
“While Texas leads the nation in jobs, innovation, and opportunity, we are falling short when it comes to running fair and accessible elections. That’s why we brought together election administrators and experts in Dallas to hear directly from those on the front lines about what went wrong during the March 3rd primary,” said Congresswoman Julie Johnson. “Republicans changed the rules on Election Day, creating confusion, turning voters away, and ultimately leading to 1,700 ballots not being counted. This is part of a broader effort we’re seeing ahead of the 2026 midterms to make voting more difficult and discourage participation. That’s why I introduced the VOTE Act: to ensure transparency and fairness, so no voter loses their voice because politicians move the goalposts. Our democracy works best when every eligible voter has a clear and accessible path to cast a ballot, and I will always fight to protect that right.”
Local experts who joined the roundtable included Chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party Kardal Coleman, Vice Chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party Yasmin Simon, Dallas County Elections Administrator Paul Adams, Dallas County Commissioner Andy Sommerman, Texas State Representative Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, and Oak Lawn Election Judge David Fisher.
Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’ 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee as Vice-Ranking Member, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.
###