School work brings voting place changes

Published 8:00 pm Sunday, October 21, 2012

With less than a month left before Election Day, people are tuning into debates and learning more about the candidates and ballot measures in preparation of casting their votes on Nov. 6.

     Due to construction at two schools used as polling places, a few changes will be in place for those casting ballots at Enterprise and Bogue Chitto attendance centers. Both schools are having new gymnasiums built on their campuses, and voting booth locations had to be moved to accommodate the construction.

     Lincoln County Schools Superintendent Terry Brister said he worked closely with the principals of the two schools, as well as District Three Supervisor Nolan Earl Williamson, to coordinate the changes.

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     Brister said at Enterprise voting will be done in the gym instead of the library, where voting is usually conducted.

     “The library is currently blocked off due to the construction,” said Brister. “So we had to move somewhere else.”

     At Bogue Chitto, voting will take place in the library, and not the gym as the old gym is blocked off while work on the new one continues.

     Voting will be the same at the district’s other two schools, West Lincoln and Loyd Star. Loyd Star is currently having work done to its parking lots, but Brister said that work would not have an impact on Election Day since the work will most likely be completed by then.

     Brister said the changes were meant to be the easiest for the voters.

     “We tried to accommodate the voters the best we could with the changes,” he said. “Both Enterprise and Bogue Chitto are large precincts.”

     Brister also noted school will go on as usual on Nov. 6.

     “We’ve always done it that way,” he said. “It’s always run smoothly.”

     Williamson said he hopes the changes don’t deter people from voting.

     “I just hope it doesn’t discourage people and they put up with the inconvenience and go vote,” he said. “It’ll be inconvenient with school going on and parents coming to get kids and drop them off at the start and end of school. But I hope people bear with it. It’s all we can do now.”

     Williamson’s crews will put out signs on Election Day to guide people to where they need to go at Enterprise and Bogue Chitto.

     “We’re doing our best to make it work,” he said. “I don’t think this will create much confusion. It’ll be aggravating to some. It’ll actually be better for people getting out and voting at Enterprise as people won’t have as far to go as they would during normal voting.”

     Williamson said he thought people might be hesitant with the changes.

     “People just don’t like the idea of change,” he said. “Once you’re doing something one way, you just don’t want to change it.”

     Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Nov. 6.