Two precincts cut from county landscape
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LISBON -- Some voters in East Liverpool, St. Clair Township and Yellow Creek Township will have new polling places the next time they vote.
Four precincts are being combined into two reducing the number of precincts in the county from 89 to 87. The changes to precincts and polling places were approved this week by the county elections board.
In the case of Yellow Creek Township, the move was necessary due to the closing of the Hillcrest Ruritan Hall, state Route 45, which has been the voting place for those in the Yellow Creek Township East precinct. Director Adam Booth said after looking at the area with Deputy Director Kim Fusco, who is from that part of the county, they determined the best replacement location will be Hope Christian Fellowship Church, state Route 39, Wellsville.
In East Liverpool, the voters from precincts 4A and 4B will be combined with everyone voting at the United Brethren Church, where the 4B precinct had been. Booth said the change came after the board received some complaints about bed bugs and cockroaches the day of the general election from those in precinct 4A, which had been voting at the Fawcett Apartments. Booth said they had been unaware of the problem at the Fawcett Apartments until calls began coming in the morning of the election and at that point it was too late to make a change.
In St. Clair Township, the two precincts formerly called St. Clair Southwest and St. Clair Glenmoor will be combined. Both precincts were already voting at the Glenmoor Presbyterian Church and the change will mean those from both precincts will become members of the St. Clair Southwest precinct.
Those voters affected by the changes will be notified by postcards in the mail closer to the next election.
Members of the board talked about the cost savings in combining precincts this way. They remember that at one point the county had at least 130 precincts. The reduction of just two precincts can save the county at least $500 per election just in poll worker expenses. That could be a savings of at least $2,000 per year.
Those working the polls in those locations will be added to the list of poll workers available to fill in when someone else is not available. Combining precincts is only possible as long as the combined number of registered voters do not exceed 1,400.
The next meeting of the election meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 6.
djohnson@mojonews.com