Board approves joint resolution asking legislature to restrict use of schools as voting sites, 4–1

The Harnett County Board of Education voted 4–1 to approve a joint resolution asking the General Assembly to modify state statute so that school buildings would not be used as voting sites without the board's explicit consent.

Superintendent Matthews presented the proposed joint resolution, explaining that it would "remove Harnett County Schools as voting places unless expressly consented to by the board of education," and said the request grew out of a joint legislative meeting and discussions with county commissioners. After the presentation the board moved and seconded the resolution; the motion carried with four ayes and one no.

During public comment preceding the vote, resident Jerry Rivas urged the board to consider whether Superintendent Matthews should resign from one of his dual roles, cited an across-the-board academic concern in the district and questioned school security and infrastructure at specific sites. Bill McNutt, a member of the Board of Elections, told the board he had prepared a brief and said the joint resolution "is not following 2 articles of the state constitution and 4 existing statutory, directives," and that the safety rationale presented to justify removing schools lacked documentation.

The board did not record additional legal findings on the resolution at the meeting; board members approved forwarding the joint resolution to the county's legislators as the board's formal request for a local statutory act.