A Dallas pastor running for Congress directed congregants to vote at his church after Sunday services and invited candidates to join him at the front of the sanctuary, videos reviewed by The Dallas Express show.
Frederick Douglass Haynes III, the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 30th Congressional District, leads Friendship-West Baptist Church. Dallas County’s early voting list identifies the church’s banquet hall foyer at 2020 W. Wheatland Road as a voting location.
“You can vote here. You can vote here,” Haynes said during the October 25 service.
Haynes told congregants they could vote “right after church” and directed them toward a door. He then invited people running for office or appearing on the ballot to come forward. He also promoted curbside voting for people with mobility limitations.
In another clip, Haynes praised Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons (D-Precinct 2), the Democratic nominee challenging County Judge Tim O’Hare (R) in the November 3 general election.
“They fear her because they fear truth, they fear justice, they fear courage,” Haynes said.
“Where’s Alisa?” Haynes asked, calling for Simmons by her first name.
“So, everybody you know in Tarrant County,” he said, before addressing congregants from that county and adding, “we got you.”
Simmons’ county judge race appears on Tarrant County ballots, while Friendship-West serves Dallas County voters. Voters cannot cast a ballot for Simmons at this site. Haynes’ congressional race appears on ballots for Dallas County voters in District 30.
The Dallas County Republican Party previously asked officials to remove the church from the polling-place list because Haynes is a candidate, The Dallas Express reported. Everett Jackson, Haynes’ Republican opponent, also protested outside the church on October 11.
“Churches can legally serve as polling places in many jurisdictions, but a candidate-pastor actively steering his own congregation there immediately after services creates an obvious imbalance that most people would recognize as improper regardless of the candidate’s party or the issues involved,” Dallas County GOP official Ajua Mason told The Dallas Express.
Texas guidance describes restrictions on electioneering near active polling places, including a 100-foot zone at voter entrances and a 1,000-foot restriction on amplified electioneering. Those restrictions cover candidates even when their names do not appear on that ballot. The exact time of Haynes’ remarks and their distance from voting operations remain unverified.
Both Haynes and Simmons received endorsements from CAIR Action, as The Dallas Express reported last week. The organization describes itself as a 501(c)(4) affiliate of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) designated CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization and transnational criminal organization under Texas law on November 18, 2025. CAIR’s Texas affiliates challenged the proclamation in federal court.
The Dallas Express sought comment from Friendship-West Baptist Church but did not receive a response.
Provided by Dallas Express
