Commission approves moving Election Commission offices to archives building

The Sumner County Commission voted Jan. 13 to approve relocating the Election Commission’s administrative offices into space at the county archives building, consolidating election administration and making room for county maintenance operations, commissioners said.

Commissioners discussed square footage and logistics; the floor plan mailed to commissioners lists roughly 65,100 square feet involved in the broader property footprint as presented in packet materials and a supplemental floor plan. The move does not affect locations for early voting or polling sites, commissioners clarified — it concerns administrative office space only.

The relocation decision followed testimony that the Election Commission had moved some operations previously without formal commission authorization; commissioners said the archives-building plan keeps election staff centrally located and reclaims lost revenue from unauthorized use of county space. One commissioner referenced compliance with a prior court ruling by Judge Oliver as part of the motivation to put the office location on a formal footing.

A motion to approve the recommendation was offered and seconded; the chair called for the ayes and pronounced the motion carried unanimously. Commissioners instructed staff to coordinate the physical move and the reconfiguration of stored materials so maintenance staff can use the vacated areas.