Changes coming to Cedar Rapids School Board elections

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Voters in the Cedar Rapids Community School District will see some major changes in the September School Board Election.

The most notable difference is that voting will take place at five Vote Centers instead of the typical 50 individual polling places. The five locations include the four Cedar Rapids Community School District high schools and the new Education, Leadership and Support Center. District voters can visit any location on September 10 to cast their vote.

Deputy Commissioner of Elections Tim Box said a small number of vote centers at recognizable locations like high schools can be more convenient and cuts costs.

“Hopefully they'll hit one on the way to work or on the way to lunch,” Box said.

In the 2011, Box said they hired 206 poll workers at a cost of just under $30,000. This time around, they will hire no more than 50, costing under $10,000.

Other Linn County school districts have used vote centers in the last two board elections, but Box said it took a little more work for Cedar Rapids to take the leap.

“It's a different animal,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we were ready to go.”

Turnout was only 2 percent in 2009 and 5 percent in 2011. In 2011, one location only saw 7 voters. Box said he hopes the vote centers will result in a modest boost to 10 percent.

“Even that one person or those two people that might not have gone because they were confused, if they go because it's easier for them, even that's a success,” he said.

If the Vote Centers prove successful, Box said they will likely use them for future school board and special elections. In Iowa, it is also allowable to use Vote Centers for city elections, but Box said they're “hesitant to take that leap” because turnout is a lot higher. Vote centers are not allowed in general elections or primaries.

Additionally, voters will see law enforcement officers stationed at Vote Centers on election day. Box said that decision came after concerns from people wanting more protection on days when possibly thousands of people walk into schools to vote.

Finally, Linn County Election Services is partnering with the 2-1-1 call center managed by United Way of East Central Iowa to assist the public with election-related questions.

According to Box, they are providing the 2-1-1 database with election information at a cost of $1,300 in addition to a $1,100 base fee and $9 per call. Box said the “experimental” partnership will likely continue throughout the year.

Leslie Wright, Vice President of Community Building at United Way, said the partnership builds on the service they already provide. She said they had hired extra temporary workers around election time in the past to cover voting-related calls.

“For us it's an opportunity to leverage what we already do,” she said. “We answer questions from callers and put information online 24/7, 265 days a year...this is a benefit to the community.”