Sachem administration proposes reducing polling locations to save roughly $48,000; board weighs access and security trade-offs

Sachem administrators told the Board of Education July 23 they are exploring consolidating school polling locations to reduce cost and improve security, and presented a rough estimate of $48,000 in annual savings if the district shifts to one central voting location. Assistant to the superintendent Allison Florio told trustees the district’s past supplemental vote used a central site and that other large Long Island districts have moved to one or two central voting locations. She said school-based voting currently requires about 55 election workers across 10 elementary polling locations and that placing ballots and equipment at many sites forces the district to order large minimum ballot runs (a thousand ballots per location). Florio said staffing shortages and last-minute cancellations had created operational challenges during recent votes. Board members asked for impact data and alternatives. Sabrina asked whether turnout changed when other districts consolidated polling locations; Florio said turnout tracked more with what was on the ballot than with the number of sites. The district provided a five-year average showing about 3,800 voters across 10 locations; a central-site revote the district held recorded about 4,800 voters. Trustees raised practical concerns about travel distance for some voters and the need to avoid creating perceived access barriers; several members suggested middle-ground options such as using three central sites or the two high schools. Security and logistics were also central to the discussion. Administrators noted state law and practice limit the district’s ability to restrict building access during voting, and that having multiple voting locations inside elementary buildings requires extra security and staff to maintain student safety. Trustees asked administration to develop options (one central site, two high schools, three middle schools) with cost comparisons and logistics; administration said it would return to the board with alternatives and recommended the board make a decision by December to allow ordering, staffing and transportation planning ahead of the May vote. Why this matters: Consolidating polling places could yield substantial recurring savings and reduce the logistics burden on district staff, but trustees said any change must preserve reasonable voter access for constituents and address safety protocols when students are present in buildings on voting days. Next steps: Administration will prepare a comparative analysis of options, including cost, security and accessibility trade-offs, and present that analysis for board consideration and public discussion before a December decision.