Clay Voting Precincts Receive Upgrades

The Clay County Elections Commission has upgraded several voting precincts to improve accessibility and comfort for voters on election day.

Clay County Elections Commission Administrator Monica Davis said the improvements at Butler’s Landing consisted of a new sidewalk for wheelchair access, an extended porch to protect voters from weather, a cement pad for porta-potties, and leveling out the property with gravel and dirt. Davis said the upgrades should improve the overall voting experience.

“I think it will bring people out more,” Davis said. “There has been some talk around the community about seeing the upgrades, especially at Butler’s Landing a lot of people in that precinct were pretty happy with it.”

The Denton’s Crossroads precinct received gutters, downspouts, and a roof extension. Officials also remediated mold, discovered within the precinct. Davis said they plan to do more upgrades in the future once they build the budget back up again.

“Mainly the poll workers will give us suggestions,” Davis said. “And the election commission when they do inspections at the polling place, they look at the condition of the polling place and make suggestions within the election commission meetings of things that make things a little better for the poll workers and the voters too.”

Davis said they also made minor upgrades to the Maple Grove and Pea Ridge precincts by adding split air conditioning and heating units.

“They were using just the portable heaters and window air conditioners,” Davis said. “So we have helped those communities with the heating and cooling.”

Davis said the commission has more upgrades in the future but is waiting to build the budget back up.