Polling places moving for primary election

LOWER SALFORD >> County election officials are asking to have some polling places moved to the township building for the May 18 primary elections, Township Manager Joe Czajkowski said at the Lower Salford Township Board of Supervisors morning work session meeting.

The reason for the move is because the voting places would have been in schools, but Souderton Area School District has classes in the buildings that day, he said.

The township building isn’t large enough to be a polling place generally, but could probably be used in this case, he said.

“The only reason that this may work this year is because it’s an off-year election and it’s a primary,” Czajkowski said.

Turn-out for the primary is “a lot lower then in the general election,” he said.

“That’s putting it mildly,” board Chairman Doug Gifford said.

The general elections in November could not be held at the township building, Czajkowski said.

“I don’t think it would work from a physical standpoint,” Gifford said.

Board member Doug Johnson said there’s another thing to consider.

“It’s a concern to me simply because the past few years it seems like every election, we’re moving these things around, and even under the best of circumstances, you have people that show up on election day and they’re at the wrong place,” Johnson said, “so I think while we’re trying to do the stopgap, we need to look at the longer term and say will this fit not only this year or next year, but out into the future.”

Czajkowski said he thinks the county is looking into possible other polling places, but a decision has to be made soon for the primary elections.

In a separate matter at the meeting, Public Works Director Doug Jones said more than 20 trees were removed from the township building property.

“They were Ash trees that were dead or dying,” he said.

He said he’d like to reduce the amount of mulch at the property.

“As we move forward, it gives us an opportunity to take a step back and see where we want to strategically plant or replant any trees,” Jones said.

With those trees having been removed, the property looks “sparse,” he said.

“Stark is the word, I think,” board member Keith Bergman said.

Board member Chris Canavan said the township should set an example of what is required and how the trees act as a buffer with neighboring properties.

Bergman said less mulch could be used when the township plants new trees.

Jones agreed a smaller mulch ring could be placed around the new trees.

“It makes things a lot easier, more cost effective,” he said.