Key Points
- Selectmen agreed to revisit alternative early voting locations following the Oct. 26 false alarm and WHS lockdown.
- The BOE received more than 30 emails, mainly from high school students, requesting that early voting move off school grounds.
- Officials must evaluate potential sites, costs and facility requirements before committing to a move.
Why It Matters: The discussion will shape how Wilton accommodates early voting while addressing school safety concerns raised by students, educators and police.
Board of Selectmen members pledged on Monday, Nov. 2, to explore alternative locations for early voting next year that will not be at a school. The concern was reinforced Thursday, Nov. 5, when the Board of Education chair reported receiving more than 30 emails, mainly from Wilton High School students, requesting a move.
While selectmen expressed support for finding another location, they stopped short of committing to a replacement site or relocation date, instead voting unanimously to resume discussions early next year.
On Oct. 26 a false-alarm incident at the Clune Center on the Wilton High School campus, where early voting was taking place, was prompted by the sighting of a man who was carrying a cane over his shoulder. The concern drew a swift emergency response from armed police and a lockdown of the campus.
Ironically, the incident came just four days after WHS teacher and Wilton Education Association President Peggy Meurer went before the BOE to urge that another location be found or that an officer be stationed at the polling location for fear of what might happen.
At Thursday’s BOE meeting, the board chair described the incident’s impact on students and staff, noting that officers responded with guns drawn outside the high school. WHS, Cider Mill and Middlebrook were initially placed under a secure protocol, with WHS subsequently moved to lockdown.
“While thankful that the investigation concluded that there was no threat, and also extremely thankful for the quick and professional response of the Wilton Police Department, the experience of the emergency response left many scared and unsettled, and raised difficult questions,” BOE Chair Ruth DeLuca said.
DeLuca said Superintendent Kevin Smith was leading the response to the emails requesting a different early voting location and that board members had read each letter.
“We want to thank, especially the students, for their courage and advocacy,” the chair said.
DeLuca also thanked the selectmen for recognizing the concerns and agreeing to revisit alternative locations this winter. The BOE did not take a separate vote on early voting Thursday.
Selectmen Weigh Alternative Locations
“Having the early voting at the Clune Center, which is essentially our high school building, is not an ideal situation from the standpoint of the police department for school safety and security reasons,” Deputy Police Chief Rob Cipolla told the BOS at its Monday meeting.
He said there had been an extensive conversation previously on the matter between Police Chief Tom Conlan and Superintendent Kevin Smith on other options, but none had been arrived at.
“It was difficult to actually come up with one other than Comstock [Community Center], but then that would have required some amount of renovation and access as something that maybe we should, could discuss going forward after the election,” Cipolla said.
While both registrars of voters were otherwise occupied on Monday night preparing Election Day, BOS members appeared to be in agreement that another location needed to be found for next year.
“I’d like us to make a commitment,” Selectman David Tatkow said. “I would like to make a motion to commit the town of Wilton to find an alternative location for early voting that’s not in any school facility starting in 2028 and in perpetuity, so that there will never be early voting ever again on any school property.”
First Selectman Toni Boucher said she was reluctant to make that commitment without knowing more about potential costs, such as retrofitting a building like Comstock to accommodate state-mandate early voting requirements. She said there are accessibility requirements, including ADA compliance, as well as specified tech technology needs..
Others also felt that more information was needed before making that commitment.
Instead, the BOS agreed to pick up the discussion at the start of next year in order to give the police department and others a chance to explore alternative sites, including the Wilton Library, a nonprofit facility or a building of worship.
“From the policing side of it, we’ve made an effort to be more visible,” Cipolla said, describing actions the department took following the Oct. 26 incident. He noted that, prior to the start of early voting, police had always made a point of trying to be somewhat visible at voting sites while simultaneously maintaining the state-mandated 250-foot distance from the polling area when voting is taking place.
Smith confirmed to the BOS that discussions about the location were taking place, even prior to the lockdown.
“After the incident last week we added our own campus supervisors on the school side of the corridors around the Clune just to add another layer,” Smith said.
Both Selectmen Rich McCarty and Matt Raimondi voiced supported for relocating early voting.
“I’m certainly committed to not having it at a school facility while school is in session,” McCarty said.
The BOS held a unanimous 4-0 vote to commit to further discussion on the matter.
