Moore plans move of two polling sites

When Alabama votes on a senator to replace Jeff Sessions in the U.S. Senate – Sessions having been named to U.S. Attorney General – a few hundred voters in Franklin County will likely be casting those ballots at a new polling place within their same precincts.

Franklin County Probate Judge and election official Barry Moore, some months ago, proposed his plan to change two precincts’ voting locations in Franklin County. His proposal was a plan to change, not the precinct lines, but simply the site within the precincts where voters cast their ballots.

With the impending special election called by Gov. Kay Ivey, Moore said he realized his timeframe for changing those polling places needed to be expedited.

For those who vote at Newburgh Masonic Lodge, Moore proposes moving that box to the Macedonia Baptist Church on Highway 724 (Old Highway 24).

“We had some water issues last year, and since (Newburgh Masonic Lodge) is not being used all the time, we had insects and bugs in there,” Moore said. “We’re very appreciative of them letting us use the Lodge, and working with us on that. Moving it to the church would just be a better overall place.”

The other polling place to move will be the East Franklin/Trapptown site, from East Franklin Junior High School to Cornerstone Fellowship on Highway 243. Moore said this change would address traffic and safety issues inherent in having a polling place at a school, improving the situation for the schoolchildren as well as the voters.

In the 2016 presidential election, Newburgh saw 176 ballots cast, while just over 600 were cast at East Franklin.

For anyone with questions about the proposed change for these two polling places, Moore said citizens are welcome to call his office, 256-332-8800. In addition, a public hearing will be held May 8 at the Franklin County Courthouse Annex. The public hearing will be held at 3 p.m., followed by a special called meeting at 4:30 p.m., which will precede the county’s regular monthly work session at 5 p.m.

Once the site changes are approved, informational postcards stating the new sites’ addresses will be mailed to voters of those precincts.