City Continues Talks About Changing Voting Districts

Dialogue between the Office of Voter Registration & Elections and residents of the City of Falls Church over changing voter districts continued Saturday at the city’s community center.

David Bjerke, general registrar, said going from five to three polling places wouldn’t affect many people in the city. In some cases, he said, people would be closer to a polling location. He said the proposed change would spread voter traffic out amongst three locations making it so about a third of the city’s population would vote at each location.

“Just over half of the citizens will have to change their polling place under our plan,” Bjerke said at Saturday’s meeting.

The Office of Voter Registration & Elections , trying to rid the city of the original 5-ward voting plan in place now. The proposed plan would save money for the office, shorten voter wait times, provide more efficient use of existing voting equipment and provide an increased level of service to city voters. The office cannot make the changes themselves but must await a decision from City Council who does have the power to change the voting districts. If the voting locations were changed the office would have to mail out new voter registration cards to every registered voter within city limits.

Under the proposed plan, , the and the would be the only places registered voters could go on Election Day. These locations are currently polling locations along with the Scout house at 128 S. Spring St. and the American Legion Post at 400 N. Oak St. This year, Election Day is Nov. 8 but the proposed plan would not go into effect until 2012 if approved. Bjerke said the proposed change would make sure overcrowding at voting locations like the Scout House wouldn’t happen anymore.

If the proposed plan is approved, Bjerke said a brochure identifying the new polling location would accompany the new voter registration card. Renee Bergmann Andrews, secretary of the city’s electoral board, said mailing the voter registration cards would cost $1,600.

“It is the law that if anything happens to a voter location, we have to mail out a new voter registration card to the citizens,” Bjerke said.

Vice Mayor David Snyder said the proposed changes in polling locations would affect some of the city’s residents. He said issues with parking would have to be addressed as well as transportation to and from polling locations for people with special needs. Saturday, he said these are things that need to be considered before the plan moves to City Council.

“For a lot of people a new polling location wouldn’t be as accessible,” Snyder said.