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Election Day Preparations
This article outlines the responsibilities of the school engineer when a Chicago Public School building is used as a polling place or receiving station during a general election or a Local School Council election.
Preparation
A few weeks before the election, the engineer should meet with the principal to identify the area of the building that will be used for the polling place. Consideration must be given to handicap access, comfort of the election officials, and minimal disruption of the educational program.
A week before the election, each school will receive a package of election materials from the Board of Election Commission for each precinct using the school. This package will contain signs announcing the polling place, a list of registered voters in each precinct, and other polling place instructions. The engineer should immediately post the polling place sign on an exterior door or in an exterior window near the door that voters will enter. This will identify the entrance that voters will use to enter the building. The list of registered voters may be posted at the main entrance so citizens may check to see if they are eligible to vote. The engineer should locate sources of electrical power that election officials will need election day.
A few days before election day, Board of Election employees will deliver a voting box to the school. This is a large blue box and the engineer should direct the driver to place the box in the area to be used for voting. There is one voting box required for each precinct.
The engineer will also be contacted by the Board of Elections to ask if any furniture is required for election personnel. Generally, it is suggested that the engineer accept the offer of rental furniture rather than use school property.
The day before the election the engineer should have the Custodial Workers give the voting area a good cleaning in preparation for election day.
Day of Election
The hours of voting are 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The engineer is required to have the building open at 5:00 a.m. to allow election officials time to set up the polling place. It is common practice to have a Custodial Worker also arrive at 5:00 a.m. as a back-up in case an emergency prevents the engineer from arriving on time.
Heat must be provided at all times that election officials are in the building. The engineer should be available to assist the election officials if needed. During the day the engineer should assign a custodial worker to make periodic checks of the polling place and make sure the polling area is neat and clean. The exterior grounds should also be kept presentable, as always.
The engineer should stay on duty until all election business has been completed and every election official has left the building. Generally, the election officials have completed their business by 9:00 p.m. School that are used as a receiving station may be used past midnight.
After the Election
The engineer should coordinate the pick-up of the voting boxes and rented furniture. All election materials that have been posted outside the building must be removed and disposed of promptly.
The cooperation of the school engineer is essential to the successful completion of the electoral process.