ACLU of RI Challenges Woonsocket Polling Site Relocation

WOONSOCKET, RI—The ACLU of Rhode Island filed a complaint letter with the state Board of Elections on Thursday, challenging a decision by the Woonsocket Board of Canvassers to move a densely populated polling place with a large number of non-white and low-income voters to a location outside the polling district, bringing up questions related to voter suppression.

The complaint letter, filed by ACLU legal counsel Armando Batastini to Rhode Island Board of Elections executive director Robert Rapoza, was written after the ACLU was contacted by several residents who only learned of the polling place relocation from Fairmont Heights to Harris Elementary School this week.

"It bears emphasis that Fairmount Heights has a number of non-white and low-income voters, so that these populations are particularly effected by moving of the polling place to a less convenient location outside the voting district," the letter states. "It does not appear that the BOC has taken any steps to mitigate the negative effect on person in Voting District 3 occasioned by the change of polling place."

The letter mentions two other locations within the polling district that the Board of Canvassers could have used as alternative voting sites to ensure residents who usually vote at Fairmont Heights could make it to the polls.

"...there is a vacant fire station at 504 Fairmont Street, in the middle of Voting District 3, with large garage doors capable of being opened, that is city-owned and appears to be a suitable site. Also, RiverzEdge Arts, a non-profit community art center, located at 196 2nd Avenue, also in Voting District 3, would be willing to serve as a polling place."

The ACLU's letter also states that the Board of Canvassers did not follow a state law that requires the Rhode Island Board of Elections to approve any out-of-district voting site relocations to avoid scrutiny similar to what it is experiencing now, calling their failure to seek approval "inexcusable" due to the fact that they have had since June to do so.

"As a result, by design or not, the BOC's actions in changing the polling place and providing late notice thereof threatens to disenfranchise the residents of Voting District 3," the letter argues.

The Board of Canvassers only sent out a postcard notice about the relocation on October 16, two days after early voting started in Rhode Island and three days after the deadline to apply for a mail ballot. The ACLU noted that these postcards were sent as one per household rather than one per registered voter.

The Board Of Elections had a meeting scheduled on Friday to discuss the ACLU's response to the relocation.