Heading into the presidential election this November, Ruben Jimenez said concerns about election integrity have lingered in the back of his mind. 

“We’re going to vote and do all that, but there’s always that question in the back of your head: ‘Is this going to be an honest election?’” Jimenez told the Report. 

The 78-year-old Fort Worth resident will serve as an alternate elections judge in the coming election. In anticipation, Jimenez wanted to participate in a public test of Tarrant County’s voting systems. He was one of a handful of residents who joined election officials, poll workers and members of the county testing board Sept. 16 to see how the process works, test the system’s accuracy and ask questions about the county’s election results. 

After casting a fake ballot to test voting equipment, Jimenez said he’s not entirely sure that his concerns have been quelled, but he’s glad the county opened the test to the public. 

This is the third consecutive year that Tarrant County officials have opened the state-mandated test of its voting system to the public. The test is designed to ensure that every ballot cast will be accurately printed and every voting machine will work correctly come Nov. 5. Early voting begins Oct. 21. 

Former elections administrator Heider Garcia, who now serves as Dallas County’s elections administrator, began the practice to prove to residents that elections are not rigged and instill public trust in election integrity. Garcia resigned from his position in April 2023, citing his concern that he couldn’t run a fair, unbiased election under Republican Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, who denied pressuring Garcia to quit. 

New elections administrator Clint Ludwig assumed the role in August 2023 after working as chief deputy of the Tarrant County Clerk’s Office. He told the Report he’s confident that, with the help of the many staff and volunteers, the county will be able to execute a fair election. 

“(My) mindset moving into the election is ‘This is my job, and I’m here to do it,’ and we’re going to make sure that we do everything, that we follow the laws, follow the rules,” Ludwig said. “I’m very confident that we’re going to be able to do a great job … It is a daunting task, but it’s one that I believe we’re ready for.” 

Although the county isn’t required to open the test to the public, he wanted to continue the tradition in an effort to maintain public trust. 

“Sometimes doing the right thing, you got to do the hard thing,” Ludwig said. “This is more work for us. It’s more work for the team, but it’s just the right thing to do for the public, and that’s what we try to do is what’s right for the public.” 

During the test, residents were able to cast fake ballots, labeled “sample ballot” in red, using two voting machines. Participants could also cast absentee ballots into a drop box.

To test the system’s accuracy, voters could cast multiple ballots and were encouraged to make mistakes on their ballots. Some participants under- or over-voted while others jotted down ineligible candidates. 

Arlington resident Leigh Ann Schenk, 64, wrote the actor “Tom Cruise” on the write-in portion of her ballot — “just for fun, and just to see what it would do,” she said. As expected, the system flagged her vote as ineligible. 

“That’s kind of what I wanted to see, what it would catch,” Schenk said. 

An attorney who plans to serve as a poll watcher in November, Schenk said she was disappointed that the public test drew a low turnout. However, she personally feels more confident in fulfilling her volunteer role in the coming election. 

“Now that I’ve seen it, I can see what they’re supposed to be doing, and I know what I’m looking for,” she said. 

Monday’s turnout of about a dozen was standard for the county, Ludwig said, adding that they held a public test before the primaries that drew a larger crowd. That could be why there were fewer people Monday, he said, because those interested already had their questions answered in the spring. 

Jimenez is waiting until the election plays out to decide whether he feels it was fair. 

“I’m glad they’re letting us in, but we’re gonna have to wait and see,” Jimenez said. 

Voters will begin heading to the polls in just over a month. Early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1, with Election Day on Nov. 5. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7, and the last day to apply to vote by mail is Oct. 25. 

You may check to see if you’re registered to vote through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. 

Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org or @bycecilialenzen. 

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