Collin, Bastrop and Williamson counties say they’re proactively changing their voting procedures and equipment following a federal attempt to limit barcodes or QR codes on paper ballots.

Despite explosive growth turning Tarrant into a racially diverse swing county, two new political maps will leave it with whiter, more Republican representation.

The one-year experiment in Midland and Ector counties is based on similar efforts in larger cities. A nonprofit backed by oil companies and Midland County are helping pay for it.