News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Putnam County Election Commission will have to find a new place to host the Popular Grove voting precinct.
Election Administrator Michelle Honeycutt said Poplar Grove Baptist Church declined use of its building.
“Right now, they’ve not got a place to move it and what the census is they’ve got a couple of other places they are going to ask and then they are going to let me know by March 30th so if we do change it I can get all those cards out to voters,” Honeycutt said.
Honeycutt said she received word before the election commission meeting began Wednesday morning. Honeycutt said the church did not share a specific reason as to why.
Honeycutt said if a new precinct is not found by March 30th, the election office will wait to relocate after the May election. The fourth district has outgrown the Poplar Grove Community Center which currently serves as the voting location.
“They were looking at another church. I do not know exactly the name,” Honeycutt said. “It’s a newer church so it should be accessible to anyone that may have a disability and that’s one of the things we have to look at for our precincts. They’re looking at that and driving around to see if there is any businesses that might allow us.”
Honeycutt said in the event a building is not found by August, the election commission can pick a site up to a half a mile outside the district. Honeycutt said the precinct can also be moved up to three miles away if approved by the state.
“Cookeville Community Center which represents the fifth district is actually located in the first, 1.3 miles outside the district, so we needed permission for that,” Honeycutt said.
