Selectmen Approve Polling Location Changes for 2014

Some residents will have a new voting location next year. 

Parking, traffic and safety issues prompted the Framingham Town Clerk's Office to recommend polling location changes to selectmen this week, which the board approved.

These approved changes include: 

• Closing the polls for Precinct 1 at Hemenway Elementary School and move to the King Administration Building, on 454 Water St. This location offers a lot more parking to absorb the temporary heavy traffic flow. King will now support Precincts 1 and 3.

• Precinct 9 currently voting in the King Administration Building would move to the Wesley United Methodist Church Hall, at 80 Beacon St.

• Precinct 8 voters currently assigned to the McCarthy Elementary School will be sent to the Wesley United Methodist Church hall. McCarthy will still support Precinct 13.

According to Assistant Town Clerk Lisa Ferguson, these changes would eliminate all concerns connected with the influx of people arriving at the schools on voting day.

"There have always been concerns with the children's safety the day of an election when school is in session," Ferguson said. We believe that we have resolved the issues with the changes we are requesting."

To sum up the changes:

• Precincts 1 & 3: now voting in the King Administration Building.
• Precincts 8 & 9: now voting in the Wesley United Methodist Church hall, Beacon Street.
• Precinct 13: still voting at McCarthy Elementary School
• Hemenway Elementary School no longer a voting location.

These changes will not go into effect until 2014. Ample notification needs to be given to voters who would be informed through the Town Census.

October 15 Primary Voting Information

This year, voters will find a few changes within the existing voting locations on the October 15 primary. In the McCarthy, Potter Road and Brophy Elementary Schools, voting booths will be in the gymnasiums and not the cafeterias.