Van Buren Elections To Continue Being Held At High School Gym

A new agreement between the Van Buren County Board of Education and the Election Commission ensures future elections will continue to be held in the auxiliary high school gym.

The board approved the agreement Wednesday. Director of Schools Jared Copeland said the new agreement contains adjustments and clarifications to ensure the building is properly maintained during elections.

“This is the same we’ve given before,” Copeland said. “The only two changes is we added refraining from taping signage to the windows to prevent damage and keeping doors closed as possible to reduce energy consumption. I did add, too, that the school calendar will be adjusted to close school on regular November election dates.”

Copeland said the election commission recommended the school be closed on all election days for security issues. He said schools will remain in session during election days outside of November.

“State law is that just on that general November date we have to be closed, or closed to students,” Copeland said. “The other days we don’t have to.”

He said the agreement ensures both parties understand that the auxiliary gym is an on-campus evacuation point in the case of an emergency, even on election days.

The board approved an amendment to the 2024-2025 school calendar to ensure there is no school on the election day in November.