Polling venue moves in District 3
Published 8:03 pm Friday, March 12, 2010
Some residents of Pike County’s and the city of Troy’s District 3 will be voting at a new location in June’s primary.
Voters who have been using polling place 11 in voter precinct 13 will now be voting at the Troy Sportsplex.
“We had it at Park Memorial (United Methodist Church),” said District 3 County Commissioner Jimmy Barron. “The church Board of Trustees decided they didn’t want to have it there any more.”
Barron said that the city and county have no hard feelings towards church leaders who were probably concerned with political issues interfering with worship.
“We’re appreciative of Park Memorial for letting us use that facility for so many years,” he said.
District 3 City Councilman Jason Reeves was also grateful to Park Memorial for accommodating past elections.
“They have been generous for several years,” he said.
After a letter requesting a change of venue for the polling place made it’s way to officials, the task of finding a new voting place was at hand.
“It was up to the city and county to find a suitable place with plenty of parking,” Reeves said. “The rec. center seemed a good fit.”
With the approval of Troy Parks and Recreation, the next step in establishing the new polling place was attaining judicial approval from the State Justice Department.
“We just got a letter back giving us pre-clearance to move forward,” Barron said.
Melissa Ingram at the Board of registrars explained that the purpose for that approval was to ensure that the change would not deny or abridge the right to vote on account of race, color or membership in a language minority group.
It is now up to Ingram, and Probate Judge Wes Allen, to notify the public of the change.
Ingram said that she has already begun to prepare new voter registration cards for all those voters in precinct 13.
She also encouraged everyone in the precinct or anyone who has been voting at Park Memorial, to make sure his or her voter registration information is current and correct.
Ingram added that all voters should make sure they are voting at the specific polling place assigned to their domicile.
Questions regarding voting should be directed to the Board of Registrars at 566-1777. Voters in precinct 13 who do not receive a new voter registration card before June’s election should also call.