Precincts redrawn to ease crowding

Friday, Sept. 11, 2009

Thanks to a redrawing of several precinct lines by the county board of elections, voting locations will be less congested inside the building and outside along nearby streets. In total, seven precincts were redrawn, five of them within the 6th Election District in the northern part of the county.

Charles County Election Director Tracy Dickerson said she will split or redraw districts based on overcrowding of polling centers. If a precinct has more than 3,000 voters — which was the case in District 3 in the 2008 election — Dickerson will look for a street that runs the length of the precinct and divide the area as equally as possible, leaving room for continued growth.

While there is no rule on the maximum number of voters per precinct, Dickerson said local boards are left with the responsibility to decide how much is too much for each area. Redrawing precincts at the 3,000 mark helps make it more comfortable and convenient for voters, Dickerson said.

"One example is Eva Turner Elementary School," Dickerson said. "Parking [got] hectic, and there were complaints about blocked driveways. [Redrawing] allows voters to get in and out with adequate parking that is as close as drivers can possibly get."

Dickerson said there weren't that many more than 3,000 voters in the District 3 precinct, but waiting any longer would have increased that number.

Dickerson said she tries to adjust the precinct lines in an off-election year.

There are a total of 43 precincts in Charles County, Dickerson said. Twenty-two of them are in the 6th District. Along with that area, Dickerson adjusted the 8th District to include another precinct and since St. Mary, Star of the Sea School closed, its voters were divvied up between General Smallwood Middle School and J.C. Parks Elementary School, Dickerson said.

Dickerson said the only difference voters will notice is a smoother process for casting a ballot.

But GOP activist Mike Phillips said he has heard from one voter who is upset because now he will have to drive to his polling place.

"I think it is interesting — if not suspicious — in an election year where our commissioners are particularly unpopular that suddenly we need a re-drawing of the precinct lines." Phillips wrote in an e-mail. "It's also interesting that the political organizations were not notified of the redrawing. This will bring confusion on election day ..."

The actual split and redrawing took place in late July and early August, Dickerson said, and the board of elections has already mailed out notifications to residents affected by the change. The director said right now the precinct maps are on the desks of the county's planning and zoning staffers so that they can be drawn up and placed online for public access.

The board of elections redraws the precincts without needing approval from the county commissioners or input from the public.

"This was done a year and a half before the election," Dickerson said.

"There will be more parking, better lighting, and we've used all new schools. It's all been done."

msomers@somdnews.com