Election commission approves multiple polling-site moves, tables early voting at 30 Olney Street

The Taunton City Election Commission on Tuesday approved relocating several precinct polling places and voted to table a proposal to add early voting at 30 Olney Street.

Commissioners approved recommending that precincts 5A and 5B be moved to the former Coyle Cassidy building at 2 Hamilton Street (identified in meeting materials as the former Coyle Cassidy/Hamilton Street site) as a replacement for the lost Hopewell School location. The commission also approved using the Holy Rosary Power Center as an additional nearby option while staff works through final site details.

The commission further approved moving precincts 6A and 6B to 82 Ingalls Street — the Taunton VFW — after staff presented photos and an accessibility and safety review. Staff told commissioners the VFW has a wide grassy strip for sign holders, ample parking, visible lighting, multiple ADA parking spaces and a single-level entry from the main parking area, and that the site could accommodate two precincts under one roof. Staff said the negotiated rental rate is about $500 and that the change would yield efficiencies compared with the prior arrangement.

On 30 Olney Street, the commission voted to table opening that location for early voting. Commissioners said they worried about stretching staff capacity before the city enters “full election mode” and raised concerns that adding an early voting site now could create grounds for challenge if a change unintentionally advantaged some voter groups. The commission agreed to treat 30 Olney Street as a new polling location for regular elections and revisit early voting later.

Staff briefed commissioners that state guidance and internal timelines require notifying voters of polling-place changes at least 20 days before an election; commissioners said resolving the changes quickly was a priority so the department can meet that timeline. Staff also said the former Coyle Cassidy site offers potential storage and setup efficiencies during a transition period while the city determines the building’s long-term use.

All motions to adopt the new sites and to table early voting at 30 Olney Street carried by voice vote. No roll-call vote with individual tallies was recorded in the meeting transcript.

The commission discussed safety concerns at two other locations — the DPW site and a Lehi-area site — citing heavy traffic, difficult parking and limited safe signage locations. Those safety concerns were a primary reason staff proposed the VFW as the alternative for precincts 6A and 6B.