Marion County’s Voting Precinct 10 will have a new location for the Nov. 6 elections this year.
The Marion County Commission voted 12-2 last Monday to move the precinct from the Election Commission offices in downtown to the new County Commission Building at 5520 U.S. Highway 41.
Commissioner Marshall Raines, chairman of the Building Use Committee, said county Election Administrator Gary Reames requested the move because election officials were having trouble hearing phone conversations during voting hours.
Commissioner Louin Campbell stressed that early voting still will take place at the election commission.
“[This move] is not going to be for early voting,” he told the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “All this is going to be is for voting on Election Day.”
Commissioner Donald Blansett, who voted against the move, said he wanted “a little more clarification” of the problems with hearing, asking if a door might not solve the problem.
However officials said moving the precinct could cause new problems.
County Mayor John Graham raised some concern about traffic issues for the elderly. Graham said. “It’s a much, much more dangerous place to come in and out of than the election commission office.”
Allowing campaigners around the facility during voting represents another issue, Commission Chairman Les Price said, because the commission building is surrounded by private property.
Graham said the request needed to be acted upon at this month’s board meeting because Reames needed time to send out notices to the voters if it was approved.
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Information from Chattanooga Times Free Press
