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Electoral board proposes closing two precincts; supervisors set public hearing and ask county attorney to draft ordinance
Summary
Appomattox County electoral board recommended combining CHAP with Spout Spring and AG with Oakville to save operating and equipment costs. The Board of Supervisors set a public hearing for Feb. 18 and directed the county attorney to draft the required ordinance changes.
The Appomattox County Board of Supervisors voted to set a public hearing for Feb. 18 to consider consolidating two polling places, following a presentation by the electoral board’s precinct review committee.
Lina Sells, secretary of the Appomattox County electoral board and representative of the precinct review committee, told supervisors the proposal would reduce the number of election-day precincts from nine to seven by combining Chap (CHAP) with Spout Spring and AG with Oakville. The committee’s analysis, Sells said, showed annual operating and equipment savings and that electronic poll books and other changes would allow remaining precincts to absorb the additional voters without increasing staff levels.
Sells said turnout at recent off-cycle elections was low at the two smallest polling places; "in something like our special election, that came up, 2 weeks ago, we would have we had less than 60 people vote at each 1 of those places," she said. The committee also identified building deficiencies at the AG location, including inadequate heating and a nonfunctioning porta-potty during colder weather.
Board members discussed convenience for voters and historic community identity tied to precinct names, but several supervisors said travel distances were manageable given expanded early voting and absentee options. Reverend Robert Jones moved to set the public hearing; the motion was amended to include direction for the county attorney to prepare the ordinance language required to change precinct boundaries. Mister Carter seconded the motion and the board approved it.
The electoral board noted procedural deadlines if the county wished to implement changes before the June primary: a public hearing by the Feb. 18 supervisors meeting, an ordinance update and mailed notices to affected registered voters at least 60 days before the primary. The county will also open a public comment period if the board proceeds.
The board’s action sets a process for public input and legal drafting; no precinct closures are final until after the public hearing and any ordinance changes are adopted.
