With budgets tight and early voting decreasing the turnout on Election Day, the Board of Selectmen is considering consolidating the three polling places in Wilton into just one.
On Tuesday, Mar. 19, Republican Registrar of Voters Annalisa Stravato told the BOS that, in an effort to both save money and simplify things for residents, she and Democratic Registrar Karen Birck are suggesting that Wilton High School‘s campus become the sole voting place in town.
“Basically all of our elections would be held somewhere in the high school complex,” Stravato said, specifying either the Field House or the Clune Center for the Arts, depending on space requirements.
She said that, with changes to Wilton’s state senate and representative districts, the town doesn’t necessarily need to be separated.
“We now actually have one ballot,” Stravato said. “In the past we had three different districts, because the district was divided … Now we’re all in District 42 for the [State] House of Representatives and the 26th [District] for the [State] Senate.”
On Feb. 10, Birck and Stravato appeared before the BOS for a discussion on their department budget, at which time they mentioned that Wilton would be good with one polling place.
Having had success with only on polling place for the primary vote earlier in the year, Stravato said then that she was bringing the idea before the Secretary of State.
“I think we can get away with one polling location … It’s something I would like to look into because it does save,” she said.
“We’re constantly trying to figure out ways to reduce cost,” she said, with the registrars looking toward a 12.46% increase in their budget next year, from $281,465 to $316,542. This includes $8,000 in additional salary for the two part-time registrars, who are required to work more hours because of early voting.
With the advent of early voting, which drew approximately 6,000 people during the 2024 election, coupled with a number of absentee ballots, Stravato noted on Tuesday that in-person turnout at the polls on Election Day was very low.
She said that by consolidating the location, money would be saved on moderators and staffing, which also must be used for the 14 days of early voting at all three current locations.
“It was very dramatic how few people showed up on the actual day of the vote,” First Selectman Toni Boucher observed, thanks to early voting.
“It actually doesn’t make sense to continue with our current polling places,” she said.
Stravato also pointed out that all three current polling places are extremely close to one another, at Cider Mill and Middlebrook Schools, along with WHS.
“I do know that there’s always been quite a bit of confusion,” she said, with voters regularly having to be directed to their proper polling place.
“I can’t tell you how many people did not know what location they voted at,” Stravato said of the last election. “It was actually shocking.”
“I think once people get used to it, it’ll be much easier for them,” she said of this change.
Selectman Bas Nabulsi expressed concern that the consolidation could result in longer lines, especially during morning and evening hours, as well as potential challenges with parking.
“Karen and I both feel comfortable that the lines will not be inconveniencing individuals,” Stravato said. “Again, at the height of our early voting, our lines were maybe 10 minutes tops.”
Birck, who did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, declined to add any comment on the proposal when asked to do so by GOOD Morning Wilton.
“I guess my only concern would be parking, potentially …” Selectman Josh Cole said. “I could see a situation where between 7 (a.m.) and 9 (a.m.) you could have a very difficult parking situation at the high school.”
He said, however, “I think the benefits outweigh the potential inconvenience, but I guess you’re not going to know until we do it, what the trends are going to be.”
Boucher pointed out that the next election in November 2025 was for municipal officials, so turnout likely would be markedly smaller if it were used as a test run, with the turnout of around 35% — usually less than half of what is seen in a presidential election.
“I would recommend that we try this and pass this,” she said. “If the results have an issue, we can always go back and change our process.”
“I think people would appreciate having one spot … It makes sense and it may save some funds,” Boucher said.
Nabulsi asked that the BOS not vote on it this week.
“I’d like to think about it and talk to some people,” he said.
Boucher said the item would be added to the BOS agenda for the next meeting on Monday, Apr. 7.
Just one place is a great Idea but with the advent of early voting during school hours the one location should not be at a school for both parking and security reasons. Comstock or Town Hall would make the most sense.
Wondering if the plan is also to continue to have early voting at WHS – do we know? It was problematic last year so I was hoping that would be being rethought as well. It caused so many problems and so much stress for the fine arts department (music concerts with parents traipsing through the back doors of the Clune and receptions having to be held outside on the side walk (cold, but thankfully no rain), tech weekend for Harry Potter being disrupted as we couldn’t access areas we needed to, plus in-person partisan displays in the parking lot when kids were being let out meaning we had to have police presence the following day. The voting area was not secure — I witnessed a concert-going parent go the wrong way and access the Zellner when it was unstaffed and voting apparatus and ballot boxes were in there — and I also know of someone who accessed the main school straight through the Clune unchecked. Our school wasn’t safe during early voting. I love we have the ability for people to vote early but I would love to see it moved and know many would agree.
It is NOT SAFE to have voting at the high school when school is in session. Please do not hold early voting at any of the schools while they are in session. Please talk to parents with children at the high school who were very concerned for their childrens safety during the early voting this Fall. Please read the comments from the Nov. 1, 2024 GOOD Morning Wilton article.
I am all for saving money but not at the expense of our students safety. Please talk to high school parents before voting on this. My child is graduating this year and therefore will not be there to be put in danger during the next election, so I literally have no “skin” in the game. There were so many safety issues during early voting this Fall in what was a very volitile election. I have pictures and stories I can share that many others can attest to. Parents were very vocal about their concerns. How is this even a consideration?
Consolodating election day voting at the high school is reasonable if the logistics work out since school is not in session on election day. School has never been in session on election day. The Zellner Gallery (where the polling is) is attached to the high school. There is access to the high school and students. Caution tape (actually broken caution tape) is not enough to keep students safe. I encourage everyone who was concerned this past Fall at the intentional or unintentional lack of proper safety for our students to speak up.
I was a moderator for many years at Cider Mill (also did work at other polling places). I was always amazed at the number of people required at each place. Three lines with two checkers, machine tender, moderator, assistant registrars. It was always difficult to get enough people, and the registrars did a bang up job. There were almost never any major lines. One polling place WILL WORK FINE!
Great idea. Between CT’s (far-too-long) early voting and now no-excuse-needed mail voting, fewer and fewer people will vote in person. Consolidation makes a lot of sense.