Leaders say they will be happy to consider alternate locations

COLUMBUS — A question was brought up during Polk County’s Board of Commissioners meeting this week that was also brought up by some parents following November’s election, regarding the safety of having polling places at schools.

Commissioner Vice Chair Myron Yoder asked about the possibility of getting the elections out of the schools, for security reasons.

Commissioners met on Monday and heard from Polk County Election Director Cliff Marr.

Polk County has seven polling places for an election, with Coopers Gap voters going to Sunny View Elementary School and one of Columbus’s two precincts voting at Polk County High School. The other precincts in the county are located at fire departments, with Tryon’s located at the Harmon Field cabin and one Columbus precinct at Isothermal Community College.

Yoder said he has heard concerns from the community about the safety of having polling places at school while class is in session.

Marr said finding polling locations is difficult and schools are often used because they are public buildings and they are handicap accessible.

“We would be happy to get out of schools if we have an alternative location,” Marr said.

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said the election board faces some of the same issues with polling places as the county faces with providing shelters during emergencies. Polk County middle and high school are used as county shelters during weather events and emergencies for the same reasons, he said.

Marr said Sunny View is actually very isolated and works well as a polling place because the voting is done in the gym, which is a separate building with a separate entrance from the main building.

“I really feel like we keep the voters away [at Sunny View],” Marr said.

He said the high school is a little more difficult keeping everyone separated.

Marr said he would prefer to get polling places out of the fire departments personally, but again, it takes having another location to consider.

“The board would be happy to examine any place,” Marr said. 

Marr said the election board certainly understands residents’ concerns, especially with today’s climate.