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Commissioners approve joint resolution to use school buildings as voting places after 4-1 vote
Summary
Board revived and approved a previously tabled joint resolution with the Board of Education to request a local statutory act allowing school buildings to be used as voting places; the motion passed 4-1 after one commissioner opposed on grounds of voter access and historical concerns.
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on Feb. 11 to approve a joint resolution with the Board of Education requesting a local statutory act to allow the use of school buildings as voting places.
Commissioners revived the resolution — which had been tabled Feb. 3 — and moved to approve it after a motion and a second. During discussion, one commissioner registered opposition, saying residents are not accustomed to voting at schools, expressing concerns about access, and linking the issue to the history of voting rights; that commissioner said she would vote against the resolution. The board then conducted a show-of-hands vote that recorded four in favor and one opposed, and the motion was approved.
The resolution was described on the agenda as a request for a local statutory act; the transcript does not record statutory citations, ordinance numbers or language of the requested act and does not specify implementation details such as which specific school buildings would be used or when changes would take effect.
Board members debated practical concerns raised previously when the matter came before the board, including traffic and voter familiarity with existing polling locations. The transcript records the opposition’s remarks focused on ensuring voter access and avoiding any change that could suppress turnout; the dissenting commissioner referenced historical struggles for voting rights when explaining the vote against the resolution.
The board did not record further procedural steps or a timetable for sending the joint request to the county’s legislative delegation during the Feb. 11 session.
