For city's residents, voting means leaving

Early voting is surging across the United States. However, for folks in Willow Park, it also means leaving their city to cast their ballot early.

While there will be a polling place in the city on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, at Cross Timbers Church, there is no site for early voting. This has some folks in the second-largest city in Parker County upset and taking to social media to complain.

Willow Park Communications Director Rose Hoffman said she understands their frustration, but that it is pointed in the wrong direction. The cities have no decision on whether they are assigned an early voting site, she said. That comes from the county leaders.

"This is not the first election in which we haven't had an early voting location in Willow Park. This has been the case for several years now," Hoffman said.

Hoffman noted the last time Willow Park had an early voting location was in 2020 at the old city hall on Ranch House Road. They moved into a new city hall at 120 El Chico Tr. almost two years ago.

Hoffman noted that it is posted on the City of Willow Park website, along with social media and even posted in signage on the doors to city hall that it is not an early voting location. The website includes a link for early voting locations in Parker County, which includes one in Aledo and another in Hudson Oaks for Willow Park residents.

"This situation highlights the importance of voters doing  their homework and research well before the election so they can provide their feedback to the commissioners," Hoffman said. "I want to make it very clear that the City of Willow Park is not discouraging people from voting. We encourage it very much."

Efforts to contact Parker County Elections Administrator Crickett Miller and Precinct 4 Commissioner Mike Hale were unsuccessful.