Inside the Statehouse: Why the idea for 'vote centers' was killed by Idaho lawmakers
This is why the idea for 'vote centers' was killed by Idaho lawmakers.
LAWMAKERS IN THEHOUSE STATEAFFAIRS COMMITTEETUESDAY.
THEFIRST REASONWAS TO ENSURESAFETY FOR VOTERSAND POLLWORKERS."THERE ARE SEVENPOLLING LOCATIONSALL WITHIN LIKE ALITTLE HALF MILE OFDOWNTOWN EAGLE,WE COULD HAVECONSOLIDATEDTHOSE INTO ONEBIGGER SPACEWHERE WE HAVESOCIALDISTANCING."AND THE SECOND..WAS TO GETENOUGH POLLWORKERS TO SIGNUP."WHAT WE WE WERETRYING TO DO ISADJUST TO THOSELARGER FACILITIESTHROUGHOUT ADACOUNTY, SO WE'VEALREADY MAPPEDOUT LIKE WHEREARE THE JUNIORHIGHS AND THE HIGHSCHOOL GYMS ARE."AND HE SAYS ANADDED BENEFITWOULD HAVE BEENINCREASED VOTERACCESS TO THEPOLLS."IT SPECIFICALLYADDS THEFLEXIBILITY FOR ANYVOTER, TO GO TOANY POLLINGLOCATION TO VOTE."AND ALLOWINGPEOPLE TO VOTE ATANY TIME IN THEIRWORKDAY."IT ALLOWS THEPEOPLE WHO LIVE INMCCALL BUT WORKIN CASCADE TO JUSTGO AHEAD AND VOTEON A BREAK ORAFTER LUNCH WHILETHEY'RE INCASCADE."INSTEAD OF A RUSHOF PEOPLE ATSPECIFICPRECINCTS.CAUSING LINES ANDTHEREFORE SAFETYISSUES AT 5 OR 6 P-M.AND WHEN IT CAMETIME TO MAKING AMOTION.
THE NEWCONCEPT WASAPPEALING TO SOMELAWMAKERS."I WOULD LIKE TOSEE THIS TRIED.""IT'S IN AFFECT FORONE DAY, AND ONEELECTION, AND THENIT NEVER COMESBACK AND SO ITJUST SEEMS LIKE,WE OUGHT TO GIVE ITA CHANCE!"BUT IT MADE MORECOMMITTEEMEMBERSNERVOUS."THIS IS NOT THETIME TO BE HAVING ATRIAL OR A TEST.ON A PRESIDENTIALELECTION OF THISMAGNITUDE.""THIS FLIES IN THEFACE OFEVERYTHING WE'VEBEEN TOLD ABOUTSOCIALDISTANCING."DEMOCRATICREPRESENTATIVEJOHN GANNONVOTING AGAINST ITBECAUSE HEWORRIES MOREPEOPLE IN BIGGERVENUES WOULDINSTEAD BECOME.."CORONAVIRUSTRANSMISSIONCENTERS."ULTIMATELY A TEN TOFIVE VOTE SHOT THEIDEA DOWN."WE'RE GONNA HAVETO ADJUST NOW,TRYING TO MAINTAINTRADITIONALPOLLING SITES, ANDIT'S GOING TO BE ALITTLE MOREDIFFICULT.
I DOEXPECT WE WILLCHANGE SOMEPRECINCTS,BECAUSE SOME JUSTAREN'T ADEQUATEGIVEN THE PUBLICHEALTH CONCERNS."BUT MCGRANEREMAINS OPTIMISTIC."I THINK SOMEDAY WEWILL SEE THIS COMETO FRUITION, IRECOGNIZE,REPRESENTATIVEPALMER SAID THISMAY BE A GREAT IDEAIN THE FUTURE."YOU CAN REQUESTAN ABSENTEEBALLOT ONLINE ATIDAHO VOTES DOTGOV STARTING
