Princeton Voters Say They Were Told Voting Ended Before Polls Closed

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

PRINCETON, Texas — With a long line of voters still waiting outside the Steven and Judy Deffibaugh Community Center on Friday, Oct. 30, witnesses say attempts were made to stop additional people from joining the line before polls closed at 7 p.m.

One witness alleges that a Princeton City Council candidate told people voting had ended, while another says a woman coming from inside the polling location instructed her not to allow anyone else behind her at 6:47 p.m.

The incidents reportedly occurred during the final hour of the last day of early voting.

Voters Told Voting Was Finished

Sumbel Zeb, a candidate for Princeton City Council Place 6, said she was outside the community center around 6:30 p.m. when an election judge she identified as Claudia moved a voting sign, apparently to mark the end of the line.

Zeb alleges that Kenneth Seligman, her opponent in Tuesday’s election, began moving between the building and the outside voting area, telling people voting had ended because election workers were overwhelmed.

She described encountering a woman who appeared to be leaving.

“One Hispanic lady, she was leaving and I was like, where are you going? And she’s like, some guy told me voting’s finished,” Zeb said.

“And I said, no, voting’s not finished. Voting, it’s not seven.”

Zeb said she encouraged the woman to speak directly with the election judge.

The woman has not been identified or interviewed.

Zeb said she contacted the Collin County Democratic Party hotline while the situation was unfolding.

A Voter Describes What Happened at 6:47

Christiana Garza, who was waiting to vote, described an encounter with a woman who came from inside the polling location.

“A few minutes after I had gotten in line, a woman came up to me from inside the voting location and said I shouldn’t let anyone get in line behind me. It was 6:47pm,” Garza said.

“She said that they were overwhelmed inside and needed to cut off the line at some point.”

Garza said she chose not to follow the instruction.

“I didn’t agree to what she said and didn’t say anything to others as they got in line behind me since I know our rights of being in line before 7pm means you’re able to vote.”

According to Garza, additional voters continued joining the line after the encounter.

Garza did not identify the woman as the election judge in her statement.

Confrontation Minutes Before Closing

Zeb also described another confrontation involving Seligman shortly before 7 p.m.

She said a person identified as Arturo told her about a voter who challenged Seligman over his authority to tell people voting had ended.

According to Zeb, the voter asked Seligman whether he was an election judge.

Zeb recounted the voter telling Seligman, “You’re a disgrace. It’s 6.59. I have the right to vote.”

She said Seligman responded that he was attempting to help election workers who were overwhelmed.

Zeb also described a conversation with another individual, Melissa, who reportedly told her that Seligman had acknowledged telling people voting was over.

Accounts from Arturo and Melissa have not been obtained directly.

What Texas Election Law Says

The Princeton polling location was scheduled to remain open until 7 p.m. on October 30.

Under Texas Election Code Section 85.005(d), voters already in line at the scheduled closing time are entitled to cast their ballots, even if voting continues afterward.

The provision protects voters who are waiting in line at closing time, regardless of how long voting takes.

It has not been established whether anyone was ultimately prevented from voting at the Princeton location.

Collin County Elections Responds

Collin County Elections Administrator Kaleb Breaux confirmed Monday that Claudia Hooper served as the Lead Deputy Early Voting Clerk at the Princeton polling location on October 30.

Asked whether election workers were authorized to stop additional voters from joining the line before 7 p.m., Breaux said, “No, no instruction or authorization was given from our office to do this.”

“Typically we have an election official who will go out and mark the end of the line at 7 p.m. This is the process that we train our election workers to do,” he added.

In a follow-up email, Breaux clarified that his office received complaints or reports about the alleged early closure. He also confirmed that the department would review the matter with Hooper.

Breaux said county pollbook records showed voters continued to be checked in after 7 p.m.

Asked whether anyone was turned away or prevented from voting before closing time, Breaux responded, “I am not certain enough to answer this question.”

Regarding individuals who are not election workers directing voters, Breaux said, “They should not be doing that,” noting that his department’s jurisdiction ends at the 100-foot distance marker.

Breaux said his office was still processing paperwork from early voting locations and would look for any incident reports from the Princeton location.

Princeton City Secretary Amber Anderson and City Council candidate Kenneth Seligman have also been contacted for comment regarding the reported incidents.

UPDATED NOV. 2, 2026: The final section of this report has been updated to include responses from Collin County Elections Administrator Kaleb Breaux regarding the reported voting incident.