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DeSoto Parish jury designates temporary polling site for Precincts 28 and 37 as clerk warns precinct split needs state approval
Summary
Facing an impending candidate-qualification deadline, the DeSoto Parish Police Jury moved to designate the Dave Means Building as the polling location for Precinct 28 (and address Precinct 37) while staff pursue Secretary of State approval required to split precincts and permanently relocate voters.
The DeSoto Parish Police Jury on a special meeting vote moved to designate the Dave Means Building as the polling location for Precinct 28 and to set a polling location for Precinct 37, a temporary step jurors said is necessary to meet upcoming election deadlines.
Clerk Lisa Lebrono Berson told jurors the parish had considered splitting Precinct 28 to move some voters into a closer precinct, but that change requires prior approval from the Louisiana Secretary of State and then must be adopted by ordinance. Because that approval has not yet been received, she said, the jury must designate a polling location now so the parish complies with qualification and election timelines.
"Designating the Dave Means Building as the polling location . . . is within the law because it is wholly located within that precinct," Berson said. She reported that she drove affected routes, contacted town officials and sought alternate locations; the parish found no adequate site inside the community that met facility needs such as heat and air conditioning for voters and staff.
Jurors asked whether splitting the precinct later would address distance concerns for some voters. Berson and legal staff said the jury can submit a precinct-split request to the Secretary of State; if it is approved the jury would adopt an ordinance and relocate voters for future elections. Jurors said they want a split to reduce travel for affected voters but recognized the timeline constraints.
The jury moved and seconded the resolution to designate the temporary polling location to ensure the parish meets qualifying deadlines. The clerk said candidate qualification opens Wednesday morning and that the designation must be complete before that time to avoid an emergency polling-location situation.
The resolution was passed as a temporary measure; officials said they will continue efforts to secure Secretary of State approval for a precinct split and return with an ordinance and more detailed site plans if approval is granted.
