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What happens if my polling location changes last minute?

Earlier this year a pipe burst at a primary site in Duval County causing a last minute move.
Credit: WTLV
Local election officials say they have back-up plans if polling locations must change.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In-person early voting begins in some Southeast Georgia counties on Oct. 12 with several northeast Florida counties starting Oct. 19.

Polling places have been chosen, but what if there’s a last-minute change to where you cast your ballot?

Flashback to late August 2018 in Duval County when 15 voting locations were changed. Why? Voter complaints like one smelling of cigarette smoke and another damaged by storms. Earlier this year, a pipe burst at a primary site causing a last-minute move. 

As we approach early voting and Election Day 2020 what happens if a site changes? It's a process the Supervisor of Elections has prepared for.

"We do not like moving polling places because people are creatures of habit and that's their home," Hogan said.

He explained the process includes looking as close as possible to a replacement site. Like with the issue in March, Hogan said that was late in the process and voting had actually started when the site needed to move. 

"The safest thing and the right thing is we place two people at the former site and they're there all day long 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.," Hogan said. 

Those poll workers have printed directions to the new site he explained. 

You can check your polling place here for Florida or here for Georgia.

Early voting sites can be found on local election sites, but for a list of links, view the First Coast News Election Guide.

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