Harrison County officials talk polling place relocation
GULFPORT -- The location of one of Harrison County's largest polling places for Tuesday's primaries was already settled but elections officials still wanted to appear Monday before the Board of Supervisors to discuss the controversial move.
Two weeks before the primary, the polling location for the North Bay precinct was moved from the Civic Center at 10395 Automall Parkway in D'Iberville to the multipurpose building at the same address because of a children's consignment sale scheduled at the Civic Center.
Elections officials, including Circuit Clerk Connie Ladner, had objected over worries the move could reduce voter turnout. The precinct has 5,500 registered voters.
Ladner appeared at Monday's meeting with representatives from both parties' executive committees.
At the meeting, Supervisor Beverly Martin, whose district includes the North Bay precinct, said she felt the issue "had gotten blown out of proportion."
"It's the same parking lot, same address, same everything," Martin said. Then, referencing a former polling location, added, "If they were willing to drive to a concession stand to vote, I think they're willing to walk 30 feet."
Martin also suggested exploring moving the location permanently because the multipurpose building gets less use than the Civic Center. And she asked for a list of upcoming elections to avoid the issue in the future.
Ladner said employees would be on hand at the Civic Center to direct voters to the correct location.
Also at Monday's meeting, the board voted to ask Biloxi to close a short section of road between the youth detention center and a proposed new location for youth court services to protect the privacy of juveniles walking between the two.
This is the next step in an effort to bring youth detention and services into closer proximity, which officials say would benefit the children and save the county money.
Biloxi City Attorney Gerald Blessey, who was at the meeting for an unrelated reason, said he didn't see a problem with the move but said the Biloxi City Council would need to vote.
This story was originally published March 7, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Harrison County officials talk polling place relocation ."