New Voting Wards Present No Problems
No negative comments about new three ward configuration.
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No problems have been reported through the morning about the City of Falls Church’s new three ward voting configuration.
Renee Andrews, secretary of the Electoral Board, said just under 10 percent of the city’s registered voters have been to the polls. City council approved the reconfiguration in December to go from five voting wards to three. The ordinance eliminated polling locations at the Scout House on South Spring Street and the American Legion building on North Oak Street.
“Voter comment regarding the ward reconfiguration has been positive,” Andrews said.
By 10 a.m., 660 (229 in Ward 1, 165 in ward 2 and 266 in Ward 3) of the city’s more than 8,700 registered voters had been to the polls. Outside Ward 3 at the Falls Church Community Center, council candidates greeted voters as they went to the polls. By Tuesday night either Paul Handly, William Henneberg, P. David Tarter, Phil Duncan, John Lawrence, Lawrence Webb and Mayor Nader Baroukh will fill the three open seats on council.
The polls close at 7 p.m.
Cecily Shea
11:52 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The configuration may be fine for the actual voting, but I had to hover like a vulture to find a parking spot at the Community Center. I used to walk to the American Legion. If I did drive, I could easily find a parking spot.
Stephanie Oppenheimer
12:09 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
I'm with Cecily ... walking to the American Legion sure beat endlessly circling the community center looking for a parking space to open up. That parking lot is typically full on a regular day; add voting to the mix and it's virtually impossible. Very, very frustrating and I sure hope potential voters don't give up when they can't find a spot. Ugh.
Andre L. Taylor
1:24 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
I totally agree with you two! It took a while to find a spot to park that wasn't a tight squeeze. The spots around city hall and the community center are pretty snug and not too plentiful.
Andy Rankin
4:07 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The City should consider opening up on-street parking on Little Falls on election days - there would still be plenty of room for traffic and it would provide quite a few extra spots.
Andre L. Taylor
4:23 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
That's not a bad idea!
Dave Bjerke
5:55 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Andre, This is Dave, General Registrar, we cover the no parking spots on Little Falls Street and add "Voter Parking" signs. That is open parking on Election Day. Let's get that word out.
Andy Rankin
6:32 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Hey, Dave is obviously right (he would know!) - when I biked past just now I noticed the parking signs and plenty of open spots on Little Falls. I'm sure it was the same way this morning (I walked so I wasn't looking for parking) - so maybe it's just a matter of making those parking options more obvious to folks.