Peabody ponders moving polls

PEABODY – This year’s pilot polling procedure during the November primary election received mixed reviews, said School Committee member Brandi Carpenter last week.Carpenter said that the School Committee’s unanimous decision for early dismissal during the Massachusetts state primary didn’t work out as well as hoped. She said elementary school principals reported an increase in traffic, as many parents chose to pick up their children, rather than have them take the bus home.Schools were closed entirely during the presidential election.”It was a huge turnout,” she said. “I’m so grateful that our children were not in school that day. “But, said Carpenter, there was a downside to closing school. Since not all schools are used as polling locations, some children were kept home for no reason.”I still don’t think we should hold elections at our schools,” she told the Committee, adding that most principals she spoke with recommended the same, or at least closing schools from now on.”There are dangers in having people in our schools,” she said, noting that poll workers are not subjected to CORI checks. At earlier meetings, she expressed concern over the possibility of sex offenders, who would under no other circumstances be allowed on the premises, wandering the halls while young children are attending class.The best solution, according to Carpenter, would be to use other venues within the city as polling locations, such as St. Adelaide Parish or Hannaford.Other members of the Committee didn’t quite agree.”I understand both sides,” said Beverley Ann Griffin Dunne. “But, I actually like the fact that people come into our schools to vote?It’s civic involvement that I think is important to show our children.”Dunne also said that she wasn’t sure if there were enough options to move the polls elsewhere. She suggested looking at ways of improving the current situation with new entrances and exits, but Carpenter already tried that.”Some setups people weren’t comfortable with,” she said, noting that one side entrance passed by a kindergarten classroom. “I don’t want to push anyone out. I think it’s time to move them.”Mayor Michael Bonfanti applauded Carpenter for wanting to explore other options through the City Clerk’s office.”I don’t have a problem with that,” he said. “I think it’s good.”