Some voters in Seminole County say their Election Day polling place has changed since the last time they voted.
Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Amy Pennock said location changes are common, but finding a replacement site can be challenging close to Election Day, when buildings or churches become unavailable.
“Space is limited in Seminole County,” Pennock said.
Pennock said polling sites are selected to be convenient for as many voters in a precinct as possible, but sites must also meet practical requirements — including size, parking capacity and ADA accessibility.
“If we have a precinct… that says we can’t be a precinct this year, we have to find another location the same size, the same parking lot capacity, the same ADA abilities within the same geographical boundaries of that precinct or a neighboring precinct,” Pennock said.
Pennock said state law allows polling sites to be located in nearby precincts on voting day if appropriate facilities are not available within a precinct. She added that planning for polling locations is a year-round effort.
“We start a year in advance working with the polling locations to see if they’re willing to come back the next year,” she said.
Pennock said precincts 39, 51 and 55 saw changes after the August primary. Her office sent postcards to voters affected by those changes. She noted that when precincts are combined, voters could see longer lines due to increased volume.
“It does make a bigger volume for turnout on election day… but it was a simple fix for us at the short notice that we had,” Pennock said.
Pennock said some last-minute changes happen when locations back out weeks before the election, sometimes without providing a reason. Construction or other events may also impact availability. She said safety concerns can play a role, including worries about disruptions at voting sites, that churches may not want to be involved in.
Pennock also emphasized that precinct changes should not be confused with early voting. During early voting, voters can cast a ballot at any early voting site within their county, regardless of assigned precinct.
In Seminole County, there are seven early voting locations open through Nov. 1 from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.