By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–After much discussion and preparation over the past couple of years, the Henry County Board of Elections voted unanimously Monday evening to move forward with voting centers for the county.
The voting center proposal has evolved through election cycles, a public input meeting and a checklist of items that needed to be completed before it could move forward.
The most important item on the checklist in the view of Elections Administrator DeLaina Green – receiving 100 percent support of the Henry County Election Commission—was accomplished Monday evening.
Under the current proposal, there would be 8 voting centers that will replace the initial 13 precincts in the county. All of the voting centers will be secure, all will be ‘hard-wired’, with both internet and WiFi, all will be ADA accessible and have adequate parking.
And, voters will be able to vote at any vote center in the county on Election Day.
However, the Elections Commission tabled a decision on how many vote centers there would be until discussion and a meeting with affected household is held.
The state has been moving toward the concept of vote centers to replace precincts for some time.
Target date for the voting centers to be operational would be March of 2024 and Green said a lot of work has been done already and more work will have to be done before the Henry County Commission votes on it.
Other items on the checklist are: implementing an Early Voting satellite site, which has already been accomplished with the establishment of a satellite site at TCAT and formalize use of local schools as polling places which has been accomplished in 2021 and 2022.
Items on the checklist that are still being worked on: establish Vote Center IT support; prepare cost analysis to implement; once cost is approved, develop manpower and once all that is accomplished, the proposal would be ready to take to the Henry County Commission.
DPC of Paris and Green are currently working on a proposed contract for IT support. Green noted that DPC already has been working with the Election Commission and in fact, readied the TCAT voting satellite for the past two elections.
Green noted that it is not required by law that the County Commission approve the proposal, but legislators will be looking for which plans do have County Commission approval.
After approval from the Henry County Commission, it would be presented to the state coordinator of elections. If approved, it would get on the legislative agenda for January 2024 and if passed, it would be implemented in March 2024.
“Cost savings is not the only reason to have vote centers,” she said. “It is for the convenience of the voters.”
In other business:
The commission discussed the need for a contingency plan for elections. Green was ill at the November election, but still worked (wearing a mask and taking safety precautions) and it prompted her thinking that a solid contingency plan needs to be in place. Also at the November election, Deputy Kim Jenkins’ back-up also was sick, so there was only one person manning phone calls.
Green noted that there needs to be representatives from the commission who can take over moving equipment and troubleshooting on Election Days in cases of emergencies and illnesses.
–Green also said she will be requesting more money for poll workers. She noted poll workers work very long days on Election Day and put in a lot of training for the job and they don’t even average $6 an hour pay. “I’d like them to get at least minimum wage,” she said.
She also requested that the Election Commission host an appreciation dinner for poll workers this year. “We couldn’t have one in 2020 because of COVID but I would like to give something back for them. The county mayor would help pay for it along with us,” she said.
Photo: Election Commission members Sylvia Humphreys, Steve Goggans, Randy Geiger and Art Smith discuss the voting center proposal with Administrator DeLaina Green (at head of table). Commission Member Benny Akers is ill and was attending by phone. (Shannon McFarlin photo).