Two new polling locations in Owensboro for future elections

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - Owensboro will have two new voting locations in future elections. The change is in part due to community demand, and community leaders think it will get many people involved who otherwise couldn’t be a part of Election Day.

For community leaders like Rev. Rhondalyn Randolph, it’s a big deal when someone is no longer able to vote.

“You, in essence, shut their voice off from the political process; and I don’t think that that is fair for anyone,” said Randolph.

She says that was the effect for many in recent elections when the Owensboro Sportscenter was not available as a voting location. Now it, along with the H.L. Neblett Community Center, will be available as polling locations in future elections.

The Daviess County Clerk says this is possible due to a change in the law. She says prior to 2020, voters had to go to locations within their precinct. Now that’s no longer the case, and general polling locations can be a convenient alternative for those whose work takes them far from home during the day.

She says with the law now on their side, they made the change in part due to community demand, and it means a lot to her to see how invested people are in elections.

“It’s nice to say, you know, this is a community that wants voting, that this is very important to them, so definitely willing to listen and I’m glad they’re willing to listen to us,” said Daviess County Clerk Leslie McCarty. “It’s a great partnership.”

She says when picking voting locations, they also have to factor in the amount of parking, handicap accessibility and distance from the parking lot to the voting area. Their decision then has to be approved by county and state election boards.

For other community leaders, they see the change as a win for accessibility. Even with free busing on election days, they say it took too much time away from work for many people to get to their designated polling location.

“When we put the interest of the community ahead of our own personal interest, we can really make and create a better space for people to live and us to coexist,” said Randolph.

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