Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Supporting The Closure Of School Board Of Broward County Public Schools On Election Day Or The Relocation Of Voting Precincts From School Board Of Broward County Public Schools; And Providing For An Effective Date.
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached resolution
Explanation:
For years the Broward County Supervisor of Elections, through an agreement with the School Board of Broward County (the "SBBC"), has utilized SBBC schools for voting precincts for primary, general and municipal elections.
While efforts are made by the respective SBBC schools to prevent access to other areas of the school campuses, parents, families and school staff have been concerned about having to permit access to the school campuses on election days for people who would not otherwise be permitted on the school campuses.
On February 14, 2018, a shooter gained access to the SBBC's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School campus and murdered seventeen students and teachers and injured seventeen others. Section 102.101, Florida Statutes, prohibits law enforcement personnel on duty in a polling precinct unless requested by the Supervisor of Elections,
Increasing visible police presence at or outside voting precincts are not solutions as police presence at the polls has been an historic method in areas of the United States to allegedly intimidate voters and can lead to lawsuits related to alleged voter intimidation; and
During the August 28, 2018 primary election in Broward County, 128 SBBC schools were used to accommodate 154 voting precincts. For the November 6, 2018 general election, SBBC schools will be closed for an employee planning day.
Reportedly other public school districts have adjusted their school year calendar to ensure schools are closed on election days to avoid the concern of having people on the school campuses who would otherwise not be permitted on the campuses during the school day.
The City has been a strong advocate for school safety as well as encouraging more and better access to methods for citizens to cast their votes in elections. The SBBC and the Broward County Supervisor of Elections should work together to find a solution to eliminate the risks associated with individuals who would otherwise not be permitted on an SBBC school campus on election day, either by closing SBBC schools on election day or relocating voting precincts out of SBBC schools.
The City Commission supports the closure of School Board of Broward County schools on election days for primary, general, and municipal elections, or the relocation from School Board of Broward County schools to other locations, for the safety of the students, faculty, staff, and volunteers.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Dr. Wazir Ishmael, City Manager
Adam Reichbach, Assistant City Manager for Finance & Administration
Patricia Cerny, City Clerk