HOUSTON — Many Harris County voters were frustrated and confused over changing polling hours on Election Day.
A judge had ordered that voting hours be extended until 8 p.m. in Harris County due to several locations having issues that prevented them from opening on time. People who got in line to vote after 7 p.m., the time polls were originally set to close, were to cast a provisional ballot.
Later that evening, the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay on that order and many voters in line were told they couldn't cast a ballot.
"It’s very upsetting I am very livid," said Harris County resident Duke Guerra.
Guerra said he got to his polling location at 7:45 p.m. thinking he had an extra hour to vote.
"Once I saw online you could go up until 8 o'clock, I took advantage of that," he said.
Guerra was told he could vote with a provisional ballot, but after waiting for nearly 30 minutes in line, election officials told him he couldn’t vote.
"Somebody above you who has more power says no," said Guerra.
He said he knows he could’ve voted early but he said he likes voting on Election Day.
"Get it together and don’t put us in a position where we have to be bitter about this election process," said Guerra.
Guerra said he learned his lesson and plans to vote earlier on Election Day next time. He also hopes that county election officials address all the issues before the next election.
"It's embarrassing. We don’t need negative attention to this kind of problem. Especially with the issues we have had for the last 5 or 6 years," said Guerra.
For those who did cast a provisional ballot past 7 p.m., it's unclear whether they will be counted.