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Board moves Woodlands polling place to Little River, OKs one Sunday of advance voting
Summary
The Cherokee County Board voted to move the Woodlands precinct to Little River Elementary School after the clubhouse manager and HOA withdrew permission; the board also approved Sunday advance voting for May 3 (1–5 p.m.) and reserved June 7 for a runoff if needed.
The Cherokee County Board of Elections voted to relocate the Woodlands precinct to Little River Elementary School after the Woodlands Clubhouse and its management group withdrew permission to use the clubhouse for upcoming elections.
John Slager, a board member, moved to follow staff recommendation to change the precinct location; the board approved the amended motion to make the change effective immediately and left any future return to the Woodlands to later discussion. Anne, the elections director, said the Little River site is an established polling location and is roughly a half‑mile to a mile from parts of the Woodlands neighborhood depending on residence.
Why it matters: Anne said the clubhouse withdrawal came late, just before the May election, forcing staff to reprint precinct cards, run ads and reassign poll managers. She told the board moving the location now avoids last‑minute voter confusion and that staff had already run the required notice advertising the potential change. The board accepted an amendment that removed a specific rollback date and authorized staff to proceed with the relocation.
Advance voting: The board also approved limited Sunday advance voting in May and a reserved Sunday for a possible runoff. A board member proposed opening the elections office for advance voting on Sunday, May 3, from 1 to 5 p.m. for the primary; the board also approved reserving Sunday, June 7, 1–5 p.m., as a runoff advance‑voting option if needed. Anne said staff and a small number of poll managers or office staff will staff the short Sunday shift.
Public comment and next steps: Two members of the public spoke after the votes. Bob Schiaparelli urged longer forums for public concerns; Deborah Davis raised technical questions about printer settings and warned about poll‑worker fatigue if extended hand counting were required. The board concluded by encouraging public education sessions the elections office offers and noting absentee voting remains an option for voters who prefer hand‑marked ballots.
