Letter to Tim Tyler, Clerk of Burlington County - Polling Places

Letter

Dear Clerk Tyler --
It is my understanding that you represent the tie-breaking vote with respect to the issue of changing a polling location in Willingboro to the JFK Center from a school in the community.

The residents of Willingboro have asked for this change so that they may enjoy the same level of safety for their students being offered in two other communities by the requested changes in those communities being accepted.

The town center is clearly easier to access for the voters, and it is part of the mission of the Clerk's Office and the Board of Elections to provide for an equal opportunity for every citizen to cast a ballot.

I would never want to see it construed that exceptions were made for one community, but unequally denied in another, and any intimation that that might represent, as an issue that artificially biased a free and fair election process.

The same causes that make a change "reasonable" in one community assuredly apply to any community, unless there is some cause to view the proposed locations differently.

In that the Town Center was, previously, a "school", it therefore certainly can't be due to architecture or even location. It leads me to believe it is purely a matter of "access", and convenience for it. Ample parking, access, and accessibility all apply.

I have not reviewed the specific locations where a change has been granted in other towns in person, as yet, but this would appear to me, as a voter and a candidate, to be a more than reasonable request.

The solution to poor democracy is MORE democracy, so every vote, and every voter, should have an equal opportunity to cast their ballot.

At the same time, the question as to whether the safety of each student is deemed to be potentially at risk through the presence of voting machines in their schools, a reason given in the other two communities, causes me concern, also. As a root cause for a change in polling places, a factor such as this should be weighed equally in all cases.

If we can place a voting machine in an automobile dealership in Burlington, I am sure we can place one in a community center in Willingboro.

I encourage you to approve the change of polling place with your tie-breaking vote, and that you encourage the community at large participate in the notification of those who reside in the affected election districts as to the change.

I can assure you MY campaign office will assist in that effort with great industry.

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