Greenfield approves moving Wards 13–16 polling place to Ridge Community Church

The City of Greenfield’s Finance and Human Resources Committee voted Nov. 12 to relocate the polling place for Wards 13 through 16 from Whitnall High School, 5000 S. 116th St., to the Ridge Community Church, 4500 S. 108th St., for elections in 2026 and 2027.

City staff member Miss Kurgan told the committee Whitnall High School will be under construction and cannot host elections for the next two years and that the city completed a polling-place accessibility study that “has been approved by the Wisconsin Election Commission to allow us to use the Ridge Community Church as a polling location.” She asked the committee to approve a facility use agreement with the church and a companion resolution to formalize the change.

The committee heard that voters affected by the move will be notified by mailed postcards to all voters in Wards 13–16, notices on the city website and in the city newsletter, social media postings, slide displays at the library and rotunda, and by signs placed at Whitnall High School on election days. Miss Kurgan said the city will also use a trailer-board sign near the high school parking lot to direct voters.

A committee member asked whether the city expected complaints about using a church as a polling location. Miss Kurgan replied that complaints were possible but that state law does not prohibit using a church as a polling place and that having an accessible site with adequate parking was the priority. The committee noted that past complaints on similar relocations had been minimal.

The committee approved the facility use agreement and the resolution to change the polling place; the motion carried unanimously. Voters in the affected wards will receive the notifications described above ahead of upcoming elections.