Beloit council combines polling locations for Feb. 18 spring primary due to low turnout

The Beloit City Council approved a resolution to combine polling locations for the city’s spring primary on Feb. 18, 2025, citing low voter turnout at some individual polling places in past elections.

Madame Clerk, city clerk, told council that because of historically low turnout the city plans to operate one combined polling location on the West Side at Krueger Golf Course and one on the East Side at Central Christian for the Feb. 18 primary. The clerk said the last time the city combined locations in February saw about 1,882 in-person voters, while an April election had 4,749 in-person voters.

Councilor Blakely moved approval of the resolution to combine polling locations; a second was recorded and the motion carried. A councilor who said they had previously opposed combining locations explained they changed their view after conversations with the clerk and manager and after reviewing turnout data, and encouraged staff to continue monitoring participation and return to prior precinct-level locations if future data supports that.

Council emphasized that combining locations on low-turnout primary days allows election workers to train together and concentrates resources. The resolution approved the consolidated locations for the Feb. 18, 2025 spring primary; council did not change any permanent precinct boundaries during the meeting.

The council record shows the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.