High school serves as polling place in London

Some London residents will vote at London High School this year. This map shows how to get to the school and where to enter.

Many London residents will cast their ballots at a different polling place for the March 4 primary election.

Registered voters who live in precincts 2-B, 3-A, 3-B, 4-A, 4-B and 4-C in London will vote at London High School, a slight change from the set-up in the November 2007 election when the same precincts voted at the elementary school next door.

School officials requested the switch, said Matthew Tlachac, Madison County Board of Elections deputy director.

“In November, we saw a lot of seniors and less physically abled people walking a far distance from the parking lot to the gym at the elementary,” said London City Schools Superintendent Steve Allen.

The walking distance at the elementary school was about 50 yards. At the high school, it is about 20 yards.

A bonus of the new set-up, Allen added, is that more high school students will get to see the voting process in action. Several served as volunteers at the polling place in November; several will do the same on Tuesday.

“While it’s a good education experience for little kids to see people vote, we thought we could get more participation with the older kids in the government and civics classes. It’s easier when it’s going on in your own building,” he said.

Voting Basics

On Tuesday, polls throughout Madison County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Board of Elections will be update the results throughout the evening at www.co.madison.oh.us/15001/index.html and at the Madison County Courthouse in London. Final results will be posted at each polling place.

Voters must show identification before casting ballots. Acceptable identification includes an Ohio driver’s license or state ID card. Also, a utility bill, bank statement, government check, payroll check, military ID, or other government document (not including documentation from the Board of Elections) is acceptable; all of these forms of ID must show the person’s correct name and current address.

Anyone who recently moved into the county and is not sure where they should vote can cast provisional ballots at the Board of Elections Office, 117 W. High St., Suite 102, London. The same polling hours, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., apply.