County eliminates 146 voting locations

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sun, May. 07, 2006
County eliminates 146 voting locations
BY BRENT D. WISTROM
The Wichita Eagle
ELECTIONS

If you vote on Election Day, you may find longer lines.

Sedgwick County has reduced its number of polling places from 208 to 62. It also has one-third fewer voting machines this year.

Democratic and Republican party leaders fear that fewer places to vote and fewer machines to vote on will mean a lower turnout.

To help voters, the county will make it easier to vote in advance, said Bill Gale, the Sedgwick County election commissioner.

The changes are being made to make polling places more accessible to disabled voters. The new polling places will be larger and better staffed, he said.
(snip/...)

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/14519772.htm

[Big Unit]

1. Understated Losses in Polling Sites

The article understates the number of lost polling sites, as it compares what is planned for this fall against last year's City Council elections, which typically have low turnouts. If you compare these plans against the 2004 presidential election, the losses are much greater: 292 to 62 for a 79% reduction - this is a disaster waiting to happen. I have already advised the Election Commish that this situation may turn out like the recent story of the dog who got his head stuck in a pipe when he tried to chase a rabbit into the pipe. The Election Commish responded that relying on advance voting is the solution. I think this is subterfuge to make it difficult for democrats who wait until Election Day to vote.

[mr.alleycat]

2. It may not be what you think

Seems there will be plenty of angry voters in both camps.
It may be a more general screwing.

[Big Unit]

3. Perhaps True

I would expect that moderate Republicans may also have concerns about the 62 polling stations being able to handle the turnout. Partly contributing to this concern is the fact that 74% of the polling stations planned for this November's election are in churches.

A related issue has to do with the fact that 0% of the new polling stations will be located in schools. Kids Voting Kansas' project to teach voting habits to schoolchildren will be history, if no polling stations can be located in schools.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. They are moving the polling places out of schools

in the district where I teach. It is really such a hassle on election day. Not enough parking places and it really is disruptive. But I agree it was neat for the kids to learn about voting.