Opponents rallying against plan to cut Bibb voting stations | The Telegraph

Elaine Lucas hopes to get other Macon-Bibb County commissioners on the record against a plan to slash the county’s number of polling places from 40 to 26.

Lucas’ draft resolution, which could be discussed by committees Tuesday, said there’s a concern that cutting the number of voting precincts will disenfranchise voters, especially minority voters.

“The majority of precincts impacted by the consolidation plan involve areas in which minorities are the majority population,” the resolution reads.

A Telegraph analysis of state voter registration data found that, of the current districts whose voting location would be eliminated altogether, there was a distinct racial divide. Current precincts scheduled to lose their polling place are about 24 percent white, while districts with polling places that would remain are about 58 percent white.

Most of the precinct-level changes would combine entire existing precincts, but some existing precincts would be split along new boundary lines. It wasn’t clear Friday how that those changes could affect a racial balance.

The Telegraph’s short analysis made Steve Allen, chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections, pause.

“That I have not seen, but that would be a concern,” he said.

The Board of Elections has scheduled a hearing on the precinct proposal for 10 a.m. Thursday in its offices. Allen said there’s an expectation the board will vote on the proposal immediately after that hearing, but he said he may not call for a vote then.

“I do not want to see the Board of Elections rush anything through without proper public input, and I do not want to take any action that would in any way discourage voting,” he said. “I think our major mission is to facilitate voting.”

Asked if the Board of Elections was considering cutting precincts only because of budget pressures, Allen said, “Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. There’s absolutely no other reason.”

Macon-Bibb County spokesman Chris Floore said county departments have been asked to cut costs. The consolidated government is under a legislative mandate to cut costs, while Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert is also working to eliminate a disparity in tax burden between former the city and unincorporated county residents.

Allen said he was trying to get a good estimate of how much money could be saved by cutting polling places.

Lucas said the Board of Elections wasn’t thinking of money.

“I think that the Board of Elections will vote based on race and party. I think their support of this will be based on race and party. I also question where this came from, why this was chosen as the method of reducing cost. Surely there’s some other areas that could be used to reduce costs.”

Lucas said some of those savings could come from cutting office supplies, equipment, training and travel.

John Swint, chairman of the Bibb County Democratic Party, said he’s opposed to the redistricting plan because it will harm people with transportation problems.

“If anything, we need more precincts,” Swint said. “It’s all about voter turnout, and whatever we can do to improve that, we should try. Cutting voting precincts is not the answer.”

Allen said the Board of Elections is likely to agree with Lucas to increase costs in one area. The board has been thinking about adding another location for early voting, he said. Lucas’ resolution calls for a satellite voting location.

Swint said the county should try another early voting site, as well as trying Sunday voting. Those would increase costs but could be good investments, he said.

A Telegraph analysis of state voter registration data found that the number of voting precincts varies widely in places with populations close to Bibb County’s. Paulding County lists just 15 voting precincts. Richmond County lists 71 precincts, but a county official said there are 44 distinct polling locations. Houston County lists 20 precincts.

To contact writer Mike Stucka, call 744-4251.