16 Lodi schools to serve as polling places. Here's how election officials aim to increase safety.
LODI — Polling places at school sites are common. With Election Day right around the corner, how are officials ensuring students and voters are safe?
That's the question some parents in Lodi have. Some say they do not want voters to be inside schools during school hours, but the county elections office said schools are needed to provide communities with more opportunities to vote.
A total of 16 schools within Lodi Unified will be open to the public as polling places — 13 of them are elementary schools.
Lois Borchardt Elementary School mom Kiara Juarez isn't too comfortable with the idea of voters coming onto campus during school hours.
Her concern is security.
"With a lot of the school shootings that are going on, they're just letting people into the school. I'm not sure if that's exactly safe," she said.
Olivia Hale, the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, said the county is hiring more personnel on Election Day to stop voters from wandering outside of the designated areas on campus.
Lodi Unified said in a statement:
"[We] work with staff to determine limited access spaces on campuses. This is done, whenever possible, to limit voter access to the main campus."
"Keep out" tape, signs and school staff will be on-site to ensure voters can remain in the designated areas and students can go about their day.
Hale added that she appreciates the schools working with the county, but the hope is that by 2026, the county can use other community spaces and move away from schools.