Polling place change delayed

Published 8:36 am Thursday, February 27, 2020

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The decision to relocate the Bacon/Saxe District polling place was tabled for a second time during the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Feb. 10 meeting.

Currently, the Bacon/Saxe voting precinct is located at the Southhall Community Building.

The BOS is considering the location change following building and parking issues at that location.

During its Dec. 11 meeting, supervisors were informed of a new location that is being considered by Charlotte County Electoral Board President Dean Foster.

According to Foster, the electoral board is recommending a new location for the polling place at New Hope Methodist Church (located at 6101 Scuffletown Road, Randolph).

Foster told the BOS the location is on Route 746, about 6.3 miles from the current polling place.

During its January meeting of the BOS, a public hearing was held to hear citizens’ comments on the proposed relocation.

No one addressed the BOS, and due to the lack of public participation at the hearing, supervisors decided to table to the decision to try and receive more public input.

“We need to base our decision on facts, and before the last meeting, some issues were brought up,” Supervisor Will Garnett, who represents the Bacon/ Saxe District, said. “We have addressed those concerns and received the information from the appropriate county officials.

According to county administrator Dan Witt, county staff was asked to verify if the ramp at the current location was ADA compliant.

The county’s building inspector, John Hess verified that it was ADA compliant.

“He expressed concerns because the parking lot is not paved or concreted,” Witt said. “He thought this would create issues with getting a special-needs person to the ramp, especially if the ground was wet and soft.”

“We are just doing our due diligence so that all parties have factual information to make informed decisions,” Supervisor Garnett said,

The issue, according to Garnett, is scheduled to be discussed at the BOS March 9 meeting. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

According to Charlotte County Voter Registrar Nan Lambert, the Bacon/Saxe District has 1,086 voters with an average turnout between 300 and 400 voters. November’s election saw 531 voters turnout.

Until 2016 Bacon and Saxe were two separate precincts. Voters in Bacon voted at Bacon District Elementary School.