Prior to the pandemic, Warren County had almost 50 in-person voting locations. Many residents could walk to their polling sites which were mostly located at public schools and community centers.

For the recent primary election the Bowling Green area had just 11 vote centers open on Election Day with only one downtown location. For comparison, the Owensboro area had 14 vote centers and Paducah had 18 voting sites. Lexington had more than 125 and Louisville had over 200!

While it was necessary for Warren County to reduce the number of in-person election sites during Covid, and vote centers offer some additional flexibility, it’s time to add back more in-person polling locations so every eligible voter has easy and convenient access to voting.

Seniors, those who are disabled, and voters who lack reliable transportation require nearby voting sites. Downtown residents and college students without cars need to be able to walk to a polling location. Rural and suburban residents shouldn’t have to drive for miles to a Vote Center.

Our Warren County Clerk and County Board of Elections are responsible for determining the appropriate number of voting locations. Population density, citizen input, and recent voter data should guide those decisions. Community leaders, schools, and nonprofits can also be consulted. Such input would make clear the need for additional area voting locations.

Bowling Green is now the third largest city in Kentucky and Warren County is one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Our access to voting should be growing along with it. Let’s make sure every voter in Bowling Green and our county, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, has easy and convenient access to in-person voting locations this November.

Tracy Harkins

Bowling Green