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Illinois Comptroller wants to remove schools as polling places

By WEEK Producer
March 5, 2013 Updated Mar 5, 2013 at 11:34 PM CDT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka wants to remove polling places from public and private schools in order to protect students.

Topinka said that on any day but election day, schools have sufficient security for students but on election day there are un-escorted people there for hours.

"It just bothers me that when I go to a school in the state of Illinois, any school, I am locked out and have to go through all kinds of machinations to get in. But here, people can come and go as they see fit and I see it on election day and it just drives me crazy," said Topinka.

The planned legislation amends the state Election Code and removes schools as polling places by 2014.

Topinka said there are government buildings, churches and other locations which would be better to use.

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