Concerns about safety at polling sites on school campuses have one presiding election judge paying for security out of her own pocket.
“This will be first time in several years that school will be in operation at same time polling going on. As we all know past 2 years, unfortunately there have been a lot of security issues at public schools,” said Olga Lara, who will serve as presiding judge for the voting location at Roberts Elementary school on November 8.
During the 2020 general election, Houston Independent School District closed all campuses on election day. The Harris County Elections Administration office tells KPRC2 it held three townhall meetings with Harris County school districts in August to discuss security and other questions about election day logistics. The office says it recommended districts implement an “election day holiday” on Tuesday, November 8 “as an additional security measure to ensure campuses would be empty throughout the voting period.
HISD, along with five other districts chose not to implement the plan.
HISD did not respond to questions about the decision or safety protocols on campus on election day.
“Given the traffic flow pattern at that particular school, my concern is that there are too many opportunities for people to go outside and away from the actual polling classroom and down other halls and accessing other portions of the school. I need to make sure all of my election staff is actually processing voters and not necessarily monitor the hallways,” Lara said.
Lara wrote about her concerns in a letter to the Harris County Elections office and was told she could have a licensed peace officer on site, but she would have to pay for it herself.
She paid $500 to have a Harris County Precinct 1 Deputy Constable at Roberts for ten hours on election day.
“I was surprised given that school security seems to be a significant political issue for so many people that I as a person stepping up to serve as presiding judge in election would have to fund that bill myself. I think a reasonable solution is for both political parties to participate in some sort of fund to help schools provide security,” Lara said.
Both the Harris County Democratic and Republican party chairs said they were sympathetic to Lara’s worries but said it raised additional concerns.
“I don’t think that particular school is going to have any problems. I would be surprised if either party has the funds, you’re talking 785 polls, that’s a lot of money for both parties,” said Cindy Siegel, chair of the Harris County Republican Party.
Democratic party chair Odus Evbagharu pointed to potential voter intimidation.
“We don’t want security guards, we don’t want constables, we don’t want law enforcement just parked up at polling locations further disenfranchising communities where it’s been a struggle to vote for generation,” he said.
The elections office says it has established a law enforcement taskforce with local, state and federal authorities ready to respond to address safety issues at the polls.