Houston County to propose two polling‑place relocations to larger church facilities

Houston County election officials told the commission they will ask the board to approve moving two polling places and placed the relocation requests on the commission’s upcoming Monday agenda.

Judge Davenport said the county has long used the Columbia public library as a polling site but that rising turnout and limited parking have made the library space inadequate. He said Pastor Cooley of First Baptist Church of Columbia has agreed to let election workers use the church’s separate family life center, which staff described as a significantly larger fellowship hall similar to other county voting locations.

Davenport said the proposed Columbus relocation would be a short move and that affected voters will receive updated voter‑location cards. “It is not the most spacious place,” Davenport said of the library, explaining why staff sought an alternative.

Davenport also described a proposal to move the Rehoboth precinct from the Rehoboth Municipal Complex to the Rehoboth Baptist Church family life center, saying parking and space at the municipal community room proved inadequate during recent high‑turnout elections. He said voters at recent elections were already parking at the church and walking across because the municipal facility lacked sufficient capacity during peak hours.

The judge said staff will publish notice and mail updated voter cards to affected voters. He also said commissioners can expect a separate agenda item in coming months to address voting in the Wicksburg area.

Commissioners voted to add the relocation resolutions to the Monday agenda for formal consideration; no final relocation votes were taken at the meeting.