'Voting centers' planned for Sept. 8 primary election

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 8/6/20

To address concerns and issues raised by the pandemic, Dottie McCarthy has introduced a new concept to voting that will keep people safe, reduce aggravation for the Board of Canvassers and, in the process, save the city money. It's the

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'Voting centers' planned for Sept. 8 primary election

Posted

To address concerns and issues raised by the pandemic, Dottie McCarthy has introduced a new concept to voting that will keep people safe, reduce aggravation for the Board of Canvassers and, in the process, save the city money.

It’s the voting center.

The concept of combining polling locations, thereby eliminating the need to staff 33 polling locations and replacing them with 11 voting centers for the Sept. 8 primary, is simple enough. Under the plan, for example, the existing polls at the William Shields Post and Sherman, Randall Holden and Hoxsie Schools that cover Ward 4 would be consolidated at Hoxsie School.

The voting center plan would apply only to the primary. Thirty-three separate polling locations would be restored for the general election.

McCarthy, director of the Board of Canvassers, reasons the centers won’t experience crowding as many voters will have requested mail ballots and voted that way. She also expects a high demand for emergency ballots, which the Secretary of State is pushing as a means for early voting for those fearful of being held up in lines at the polls. Under emergency ballot provisions, voters will be able to cast ballots starting 20 days before the primary, on Aug. 19. Just as they would do at the voter center, early voters will need to produce their identification to obtain a ballot. The difference is that this would take place at City Hall. A machine would be on site to cast ballots.

The Rhode Island General Assembly passed an early in-person voting law that will allow voters to cast their ballots at city or town halls up to 20 days before an election. Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the bill into law on July 22.

“Early in-person voting is a major step forward for elections in Rhode Island,” said Secretary Nellie Gorbea, said in a statement this week. “The more options voters have to safely and securely cast a ballot, the better – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This measure will help reduce crowding at indoor polling places and will ensure greater access to the ballot box for voters going forward.”

The big savings with voting centers is the number of supervisors, clerks and moderators McCarthy will need to run the primary. Manning 33 polls requires in excess of 300 people. She needs 110 to operate the centers.

McCarthy has put out the word to veteran poll workers, even sending them additional forms to be passed along to friends. She’s contacted the Warwick School Department that has been a source in the past.

“I need every single one of those people who want to work,” she said. Supervisors are paid $150 for the day while clerks and moderators make $200. McCarthy urged those interested in working and additional information to contact her office at:

Voting centers for the primary are:

Wyman School for polls at Wyman, J.B. Francis School and the Aspray Boat House;

Pilgrim Senior Center for polls at the senior center, Holliman and Norwood Schools;

National Guard Armory for the National Guard Armory;

Hoxsie School for Randall Holden School, William Shields Post, Hoxsie School and Sherman School;

Warwick Neck School for Warwick Neck School and Heritage Christian Fellowship Church;

Veterans Middle School for Oakland Beach School, Lippitt School, Park School and Veterans Middle School;

Greenwood School for the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department, Greenwood Presbyterian Church and Greenwood School;

East Natick Veterans Club for Shalom Apartments and East Natick Veterans Club;

Toll Gate High School for the Warwick Police Station, Toll Gate (formerly Sparrows Point III) and Scott School;

Cedar Hill School for Cedar Hill School, Potowomut Golf Club, First Baptist Church and St. Gregory the Great Church.

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