A panic at the polls

The removal of the ASUI Kibbie Activity Center as a polling location for the upcoming election caused a stir among Moscow students and community members.

Citizens from all 18 precincts in Moscow will have to vote at the Latah County Fairgrounds. In previous years residents west of Main Street voted at the Kibbie Dome.

Henrianne Westberg, the Latah County Clerk, said the polling location was removed because it was difficult for some older voters and voters with disabilities to make it from the parking lot to the Kibbie Dome.

“It is my prime goal to make sure that everyone who wants to vote is able to vote,” Westberg said.

Nicole Skinner, ASUI president, said she understands the need for polling locations to be accessible, but she thinks it was wrong to remove on campus polling entirely.

“I am frustrated that we don’t have a polling location, but I am also frustrated that an announcement was never made explaining why we won’t have a polling location on campus,” Skinner said. “An effort wasn’t made to connect with the campus and see if we can figure out how to get a polling location here.”

Westberg said she has been looking for options for a new polling location that would be more accessible for voters but hasn’t decided on anything yet. She said the main issues have been locations not being accessible or having enough parking.

“I am definitely putting a lot of thought into it and I am going to figure out what might work best for everybody,” Westberg said.

Skinner suggested the Bruce Pittman Center as an alternative polling location on campus.

Westberg said the Pittman Center has been suggested to her, but she does not believe that location has enough parking to accommodate voters on Election Day. 

Skinner said she hopes the Department of Student Involvement’s Party to the Polls event, which will shuttle students to and from the fairgrounds, will help counteract the lack of an on-campus polling location for this election.

“Moscow is a small town and it is fairly walkable, but I think a lot of people would be discouraged by having to walk to the fairgrounds,” Skinner said.

Westberg said she is not concerned about college students being discouraged from voting.

“(Students) are a more mobile population than someone who has limitations and physical restrictions,” Westberg said. “So, I do want to support the U of I student body in voting and do what I can, but I do have limitations in trying to assist them. I have to think of everybody I can’t just plan things that aren’t conducive to everyone.”

Westberg said she thinks that the Latah Fairground polling location will be suitable for this election because students can walk or be shuttled there, and she believes there will be enough parking for non-student community members.

Skinner said she is concerned that because of the recent political climate there will be more voters than the city is used to handling, especially now that there is only one location.

Karen Lewis, Moscow’s League of Women Voters co-president, said that many voters have already cast their vote, so she doesn’t think there will be a big problem at the fairgrounds on election day.

Lewis urged students to vote in this upcoming election.

“Hopefully students see that their vote is worth a little inconvenience,” Lewis said. “I wish we had voting by mail like Washington does, that would be easy, but we don’t. I am glad that ASUI is stepping up so people who want to vote have a ride.”

Gavin Green can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @gavingreenphoto