Richmond County considers polling location changes ahead of mayoral election

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Richmond County leaders are debating whether to close and consolidate polling locations just months before several commission races and the mayoral election, drawing concerns from residents who packed a standing-room-only meeting Monday.

The Richmond County Board of Elections held a special called meeting to discuss precinct consolidation and realignment. Many people found out about the meeting just days or even hours beforehand, but Facebook posts ahead of the session encouraged residents to attend and voice their concerns.

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The proposed changes would reduce the county’s 68 precincts to 55 and cut polling locations from 42 to 36. Officials say the adjustments are needed due to facility issues and changing voting patterns, but residents are questioning the timing just four months before elections.

Several polling locations have requested to stop hosting elections. St. Mark Methodist asked for voting to be relocated from there at the end of 2025 due to rising insurance premiums. Mann-Mize Memorial Methodist said its aging congregation is no longer able to serve as a polling place. The Hephzibah Carroll Community Center is closed during renovations.

After the 2021 redistricting, no voters were moved and precinct changes were not made to keep everyone at their polling location.

Some of the changes are being proposed because more voters cast early ballots now. The adjustments could reduce wait times, officials say. Officials noted turnout on early in-person voting jumped over 15% between 2022 and 2024.

Consolidating voting sites is something that’s happening across the state, but Richmond County is behind others. Polling places downtown are on average a mile to a mile and a half apart, so officials looked at the least utilized polling sites, like St. Mark. Voters who use the St. Mark polling site would be moved to National Hills since they’re in the same district for many races.

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If there are no changes, officials say there will be rising labor costs, an uneven voting experience, fewer machines per voter and longer lines at high-volume sites.

Residents question timing of changes

“I know that we are 10 years behind. But if we’re going to be 10 years behind, why would we want to try to do what we couldn’t do in 10 years in one? And not even just in one, but...in a few months,” said Lakeland Barnes, a Richmond County resident.

Barnes suggested a more gradual approach to the changes.

“We could plan this out. Let’s do this. Let’s phase it out for the next two to three years. Or if you do, let’s do it in an off election year,” Barnes said. “I don’t want what they’re doing to fail or there to be such a backlash or there to be such a large impact on people.”

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Betty Reece said “there is not enough time” to make changes and that there couldn’t be “a much worse time to do this.” She says more poll workers need to be hired right now.

One speaker at Monday’s meeting said voters’ age and transportation needs should be considered when moving polling sites.

Travis Doss, executive director of the Richmond County Board of Elections, acknowledged the compressed timeline but defended the timing.

“I agree with the public sentiment that it seems compressed. However, I feel that even when doing it during an election year, that’s when people are more engaged,” Doss said.

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Pay for election workers was a big topic at the meeting. Poll workers have not received a pay raise since 2000, and board members said $175 is not enough pay for 16 hours of work.

“It’s hard to attract new poll workers when the first thing they ask is, well, how much does it pay?” Doss said. “It’s a hard ask to go to the commission and say, we want increased poll worker pay when there’s a potential of cuts.”

Audience members agreed there has been a delay in getting more well-trained poll workers. The Board of Elections says it’s not a matter of getting more people but a matter of getting poll workers with “the ability to be trained.”

Barnes expressed concern that the changes could discourage voter participation.

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“You’re doing more things to ensure that these people are confused about what it takes to vote, where they need to go vote. It becomes so confusing at some point. People just give up,” Barnes said. “Now it’s up to the commissioners to start seeing this is how your budget impacts not just your department... but people who work for the city in general. And that 5% is now costing the voters.”

The Board of Elections must make a final decision for this year by March 20. A public hearing is scheduled for February 9.