by Jeff Shmase
LYNNFIELD – Take two.
In an about face, residents will now cast ballots for town, state and federal elections at the high school, following a joint vote of the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen Monday night.
The move takes effect with the April 12 town election in which there will be no contested races and voter turnout is expected to be light.
The decision to head to the high school follows a vote taken by selectmen March 1 to hold elections at the middle school. It was a decision selectmen did not warmly embrace yet supported because it seemed the best alternative and one endorsed by the School Department.
But after Superintendent of Schools Robert Hassett and interim Police Chief Joseph Dunn toured the high school, the committee felt that school was a “better alternative.”
“We’re convinced we can take care of the parking concerns and make it a safe, secure site for voters and students,” Dunn said.
Dunn is viewing the town election as a “dry run” in which the election operations can be tweaked and fixed as needed. There is no school that day, so there will be no voter-student interaction.
The School Department also plans to schedule two professional days to coincide with state and federal elections during the next school year, so the only time in which voters will be in the school the same day as students is the September primary.
Dunn said voters who need assistance will be able to park near the site. An officer will supervise the traffic flow and another officer will assist inside the school to ensure the safe flow of pedestrian traffic.
If needed, a police officer will help students who bring their cars to school to cross the street to the high school on the day of the primary. Students will be parking their vehicles in a residential neighborhood on that day if the voter demand exceeds the supply of available spaces.
The town will now mail a notice to all registered voters informing them of the change.
Voters from all four precincts will vote at the high school.
