Braintree Voting Location Reductions Could Be Permanent

Braintree MA

16 November, 2020

2:14 PM

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BRAINTREE, MA — The coronavirus pandemic forced Braintree to consolidate its voting locations, and after Election Day, Town Clerk Jim Casey wants the changes to become permanent. The changes consolidated the town's 12 precincts into three voting centers, each serving voters for four precincts. Under the plan, voters in Districts 1 and 2 voted at Braintree High School, District 3 and 4 at the East Middle School and District 5 and 6 residents at South Middle School. In past elections, every precinct had its own independent voting location except for precincts 5A and 1A, which both voted at Town Hall. At the town council's ways means committee meeting Thursday, Casey said the change should become permanent because there's not going to be as much demand for in-person voting in future elections because of early voting and mail-in ballots. "We're going to be ahead of the curve," Casey said. In 2012, 20,000 Braintree residents voted in-person on Election Day, but just 7,500 did in November, Casey said. Most Braintree voters took advantage of early and mail-in voting Committee members asked if mail-in ballots would become a staple in future elections. Casey said temporary changes at the state level usually find themselves becoming permanent. He cited the sales tax passing in the '60s as an example. Casey said consolidating polling places permanently will result in cost saving for the town. Most of those savings come from having to pay for fewer police details and the use of the elementary schools as polling locations. Casey added the changes, implemented because of the coronavirus pandemic, were a public health success, as not one case of the virus was tied to voting in Braintree. The committee members were split 2-2 on the plan. District 5 Councilor Meredith Boericke said she wants to retain all the polling locations to make voting easier and more accessible for residents. District 1 Councilor Julia Flaherty added that keeping the 12 precincts intact is better for people who don't drive or use wheelchairs because they'll have a shorter distance to travel. District 3 Councilor Donna Connors, who volunteered as a poll worker this fall, said the experience with fewer locations was smooth, and that experience is why she supports Casey's recommendation. The Town Council is expected to discuss Casey's proposal at its meeting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday.