Commissioners Court approves consolidation of voting locations

(ROCKWALL, TX — October 20, 2017) A state-recommended plan to consolidate Rockwall County voting locations for the upcoming constitutional amendment election will become effective when early voting begins Monday.

Under the plan that was recommended by the Secretary of State and approved by Rockwall County Commissioners Court, there will be three early-voting locations spread across the county and five locations on election day—Nov. 7.

Early voting, which is scheduled Monday through Nov. 3, will be held at Rockwall County Library, Heath City Hall and Fate City Hall.

Election day locations are Rockwall County Library, Heath City Hall, Fate City Hall, McLendon-Chisholm City Hall and Ridgeview Church.

Ten days of early voting are scheduled—Monday through Friday between Oct. 23 and Nov. 3. No early voting is scheduled Saturdays or Sundays. All early voting times are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thursdays. On Thursdays—Oct. 26 and Nov. 2—the voting locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Following are details for each election-day voting location:

*Fate City Hall, 1900 CD Boren Parkway, Precincts 4A, 4B and 4C;

*Heath City Hall, 200 Laurence, Precincts 2C and 3C;

*Rockwall County Library, 1215 Yellowjacket Lane, Precincts 1A, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B and 4;

*Ridgeview Church, 1352 E. Farm to Market 552, Precincts 1, 1B and 1C; and

*McLendon-Chisholm City Hall, 1371 W. FM 550, Precinct 3D.

According to Christopher Lynch, the Rockwall County elections administrator, the recommendation to consolidate polling locations is based on historically low voter turnout and the cost for elections, which is the county’s responsibility.

“Instead of having 17 precincts open on election day, where we typically don’t see the numbers turnout-wise, we consolidate those and send them (voters) to locations spread across the county,” Lynch told county commissioners on Aug. 22. “That allows us to cut down on the number of workers and cut down, obviously, on the locations.”

In the 2011 constitutional amendment election, the total voter turnout was 1,706. In the 2013 constitutional amendment election, voter turnout was 3,307. In 2015, Lynch reported, about 8,000 votes were cast. The turnout was higher, he said, because a Rockwall Independent School District bond issue proposal was on the ballot.

The salary cost difference between 17 locations and five on election day is about $9,000, according to Lynch. He said the cost for programming would be about $5,000 more than the proposed consolidated polling locations plan.

Lynch said early voters can cast their ballot at any of the voting locations. On election day, however, they must vote at their precinct location. Depending on the precinct in which voters reside, Lynch said, they may have to be directed to a different voting location if they wait until election day to vote.

Submitted press release.

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