City May Move Polling Places Out of Schools

The city of Oak Creek is considering moving polling places out of schools in light of security concerns.

Three out of the six Oak Creek voting sites are in schools—Deerfield Elementary, East Middle School and West Middle School. Residents also cast ballots at the school administration building.

When voter turnout is high, like during gubernatorial and presidential elections, more than 3,000 voters pass through those buildings.

In a post-Sandy Hook world, schools might not be the best place for such a large number of people to stream in and out, City Clerk Catherine Roeske said.

"The number is alarming when considering the possibilities of potential issues," Roeske said.

But any final decisions about whether and where polling places would be moved are still a long ways off, she said.

The city would have to approve contracts and secure locations that meet state election requirements for handicap accessibility. Two polling places, Carollton and Meadowview elementary schools, were changed last year due to accessibility issues.

City officials have some time to decide—the next election on the calendar isn't until February 2014.