Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare ordered sheriff deputies to forcibly remove dozens of residents from a public meeting Tuesday after attendees clapped during testimony opposing a proposal to slash polling locations by 45 percent ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Former Lawmaker Carried Out By Deputies

Lon Burnam, who served as a Texas state representative for Tarrant County from 1997 to 2015, was arrested and physically carried from the commissioners courtroom by four sheriff deputies after he refused to relinquish the microphone during his allotted speaking time. When Burnam turned to address the audience instead of the commissioners, O’Hare ordered him to stop. The former lawmaker then lay down on the floor as deputies attempted his removal, forcing officers to carry him out by his hands and feet while placing him under arrest.

The dramatic confrontation occurred more than two hours into a contentious meeting where most speakers had signed up to oppose reducing Election Day voting sites from 316 locations in 2022 to just 176 this November. Early voting locations would drop from 50 to 42 under the proposal being considered by the court’s Republican majority.

Mass Removal Follows Public Applause

O’Hare cleared the entire courtroom except county staff and reporters after several attendees clapped when a speaker criticized his management of the commissioners court. The judge ordered deputies to remove everyone, declaring the court in recess until chambers were empty. Residents stood and chanted ‘shame’ and ‘vote them out,’ targeting O’Hare and Republican commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez as they were herded from the room. Earlier, O’Hare had removed another speaker who yelled and used profanity during his testimony.

After the recess, O’Hare implemented a new procedure allowing speakers into the courtroom one at a time to deliver their remarks, then permitting them to remain in the audience afterward. He warned that further disruptions would result in another clearing and potential arrests. Despite this warning, O’Hare ordered the removal of an additional speaker beyond Burnam before the meeting concluded.

Democratic Opposition Undeterred

Patrice Jones, vice chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, said she expected no change from the Republican commissioners but felt encouraged by the solidarity displayed by attendees. Outside the courtroom, protesters chanted against O’Hare, who faces Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons in November’s election. Critics argue the proposed voting site reductions would disenfranchise voters by creating barriers to casting ballots, particularly affecting working families and communities with limited transportation options in the rapidly growing Fort Worth metropolitan area.