Barnes County North board designates school as precinct, sets polling hours

The Barnes County North School Board voted Dec. 18 to designate Barnes County North School as an election precinct and as a polling place and to set polling hours for an anticipated school‑day election.

A board member moved to designate the school as the precinct; the motion passed on a roll-call vote in which Tyler, DJ, Mike, Cody, Michelle, Lee, Jennifer and Cindy each recorded “yes.” The board then agreed to list the auxiliary gym as the likely polling location while reserving flexibility in case the site needs to change.

The board discussed polling hours, noting the election falls on a school day and that parking and bus routing present challenges early in the morning. Members settled on a 10 a.m. start with a 7 p.m. close, consistent with prior practice and the statutory window for polling hours. A board member summarized the operational rationale, noting that a later start would help a staff election worker finish a bus route before opening.

The board also approved the slate of election workers named by the clerk, who said past practice paid $130 per day plus mileage; the board confirmed the requirement to pay at least minimum wage plus mileage for election workers.

The board’s approvals were procedural: no policy changes were made and the board reserved flexibility for the exact polling room and worker assignments if circumstances change nearer election day. The clerk and administration will file the precinct and polling-place paperwork with county election officials and provide the finalized worker list in advance of the election.

The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15; any final election logistics or staffing changes will be returned to the board if adjustments are required before the election.