North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth contacted the Nassau County Board of Elections to offer town facilities and Michael J. Tully Park as potential polling sites on Thursday, in hopes of transitioning them away from schools.
Town officials described the move as one geared toward safety for children and residents, as well as in response to concerns raised by residents in the New Hyde Park area.
In requesting the removal of public schools as polling sites, Bosworth said the town already hosts a number of polling locations and that “to date there have not been any reported safety issues.”
“Please know that my number one priority is maintaining the safety and security of our communities here in North Hempstead,” Bosworth said. “In order to further protect our children, residents, teachers, and school administrators, I believe it would be prudent for the Board of Elections to consider this request.”
Some current polling sites include Town Hall, Broadway Park, and John D. Caemmerer Park, a town spokeswoman said.
A representative at the Nassau County Board of Elections, which decides on voting locations, could not be reached for comment on Friday.
The spokeswoman said the election board hasn’t responded yet, but noted the likelihood of them being busy as Election Day draws closer. She also said the request isn’t geared for the midterm elections.
“It definitely wouldn’t be for this year,” she said. “It’d be going forward.”
Some members of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park community had strongly opposed primary elections on Sept. 13 being hosted at New Hyde Park Memorial High School earlier this year, citing concerns for student safety.
That followed a five-year effort to get polling out of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District’s elementary schools, activists have said.
