For a while, it appeared that the West Virginia Board of Education’s decision to deny a waiver for snow days in Harrison County was going to impact more than just families looking to get a start on an early summer vacation. Up until this week, it appeared the potential was also strong for the decision to force changes to the City of Bridgeport’s 2015 municipal election.

 

The election, which is scheduled June 9, now falls on the same time that school will be in session due to the issue with snow days. The problem that Bridgeport City Clerk Andrea Kerr was dealing with is that the majority of the voting precincts are located inside public schools that will now have activity in them.

 

“We were terribly concerned that this was going to create an issue because we didn’t know how it would impact the community if we had to relocate the precincts since students would be at the schools,” said Kerr. “Only two of our precincts aren’t located in a public school building.”

 

Bridgeport has precincts located at Simpson Elementary, Johnson Elementary and three precincts at Bridgeport High School. Kerr said she’s worked with the principals at both Johnson and BHS and the precinct issues there will now not be an issue at all.

 

“(Johnson Principal) Vicki Huffman has agreed to allow the city to use a portion of the cafeteria for a polling location and (BHS Principal) Mr. (Mark) DeFazio said he will work with us to make sure all three precincts are available and have as little impact on the voters and the students as possible,” said Kerr. “That’s such a blessing because finding additional polling places is a huge undertaking.

 

“Basically, both of the principals didn’t want to put any burden on those that vote or the city and it’s appreciated more than they might imagine,” Kerr continued. “They were unbelievable in how they went above and beyond in order to accommodate myself and the needs of the city.”

 

With those precincts settled and the two precincts at Simpson Creek Baptist Church not impacted due to the revised school calendar, the only other precinct that is an issue is the one at Simpson Elementary School. And that would have been an issue regardless of the State BOE’s decision.

 

“I will have to find a new location for the precinct that is located inside of Simpson Elementary School because they are in the school’s cafeteria and they will have the new cafeteria under construction at that time,” said Kerr. “Everyone will be notified as to the new voting location.”

 

In order to notify individuals, it won’t strictly be limited to getting the word out via media. Kerr said the city will undertake the expense to get a registered letter to every voter in the Simpson precinct. The letter will be sent once a new location has been determined and approved.

 

“Regardless of the last time an individual voted, if they’re in that precinct they will receive a registered letter notifying them of the change in location this year for the election,” said Kerr.