The South Berwick polling place has been moved to Central School, starting with the Nov. 5 election.
The Town Council voted this week to move the polls from the third-floor Town Hall auditorium to the Central School gymnasium to accommodate the anticipated large turnout for the election.
“We may have as many as 500 people voting per hour on Election Day,” said Council Chair Mallory Cook. “The Central School gymnasium will be more accessible for such a large number of voters.”
The school gym also has better ventilation and is on the first floor, making it more accessible to all voters, Cook said.
The council’s decision Aug. 27 comes after an unusually large turnout of voters for the June election, when some voters had to wait in line for the Town Hall elevator and dozens more inched their way up the stairwell for nearly an hour to sign in for voting on the third floor.
A flyer posted at Town Hall this week said “all elections will now take place” at Central School. The ballot box for absentee ballot dropoffs will remain in its usual location behind Town Hall.
Polls will be open Nov. 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., an hour earlier start time than usual.
All Marshwood district schools will be closed on Election Day.
