FAYETTEVILLE -- The Washington County Election Commission decided Thursday to close one more polling site after five poll workers retired, said Jennifer Price, election commission coordinator.
"This was unexpected for us to have to do this, but at this point, with the time constraints we are under, this was the best decision for the election commission to make," Price said.
The polling place has 638 registered voters in the Marrs Hill precinct, according to election commission documents.
The commission had until Feb. 1 to make changes to the polling location or get new workers trained, Price said. Commissioners decided during a meeting Thursday closing the Viney Grove United Methodist Church in Prairie Grove polling site was the best option, she said.
The Election Commission is always looking for poll workers to help with elections, Price said. It isn't uncommon for one poll worker, especially a supervisor, to retire or quit and the others to follow suit, she said.
Voters in the Marrs Hill precinct will be notified via mail, and they can vote at any polling center, Price said. Other polls are close by, including one at Prairie Grove Christian Church at 611 Wayne Villines Road, she said.
The commission is using polling centers this year and consolidating polling sites. Any county resident can vote at any vote center. The county originally had 56 polling sites and has consolidated to 49, Price said. Three sites were closed in Fayetteville and Springdale, she said.
In other business, the commission decided not to proceed with creating a policy asking exit pollsters to register when polling voters during the election.
The commission decided earlier this month not to allow exit pollsters in polling sites, but the new policy would have had pollsters register or otherwise notify officials when they were at voting locations.
The registration policy would have required an ordinance from the Quorum Court. Price said commissioners decided not to proceed.
NW News on 01/23/2016