DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — Three Dauphin County election districts will experience a change of polling location before November's upcoming election.
Voters who previously cast their ballot at Holy Family Church, Grace Fellowship Church or The Residences & Towns at Governor’s Square Community Room will vote at different locations on Nov. 7 for the Municipal Election. The Board of Elections approved the changes today, and affected voters will receive official notice soon, officials said.
Harrisburg’s 11th Ward, Harrisburg’s 13th Ward/3rd Precinct and Susquehanna Township’s 3rd Ward are all affected.
People who previously voted at The Residences & Towns at Governor’s Square Community Room, located at 2018 North 5th St. in Harrisburg, will now vote at Tri-County OIC, located at 500 Maclay St. in Harrisburg. Authorities say the new site offers more parking, is ADA compliant with minor modifications and is less than one block from the old polling location, which is unavailable due to being part of the present owners’ ongoing legal situation. The Board notes Tri-County OIC is just outside of the 11th Ward but on the boundary line.
Constituents who had been voting at Holy Family Church, located at 555 South 25th St. in Harrisburg, will now vote at the Salvation Army located at 506 South 29th Street in Harrisburg. The church is no longer available due to being sold, officials said. The Salvation Army is within the boundary of the 13th Ward/3rd Precinct, provides "sufficient" parking and is ADA compliant.
Susquehanna Township’s 3rd Ward polling place will move from Grace Fellowship Church, located at 2415 Locust Ln. in Harrisburg, to Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church, located at 2400 Locust Ln. in Harrisburg. When the U.S. Department of Justice first visited Dauphin County in 2015 to conduct its ADA compliance review, the present site was deemed non-compliant with ADA.
“As this is a hilly terrain, there were few sites that could be considered and the very real possibility of having to move this polling place outside of the Edgemont community was a serious concern for the Board of Elections and Bureau,” said Jerry Feaser, Dauphin County’s director of elections and voter registration. "However, Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church has recently constructed a new and ADA-compliant site directly across the street from the present site enabling this polling place to remain in Edgemont."
The Bureau of Registration and Elections noted that it will be issuing new voter cards to all voters in the three election districts to notify them of the polling place change. Additionally, voters will receive postcard reminders two weeks prior to the election. Notifications of state legislators, municipal officials, judges of election and party chairs will be done by way of letters as well.
