Another early voting site needed for south end

Editor,

Over the years, voting has been made more convenient with Vote-by-Mail and Early Voting added to Election Day voting. If the Worcester County Commission wants to ensure maximum voter participation, it should add another Early Voting site in southern end of the county.

Currently, Early Voting is conducted only at the Ocean City Convention Center, a 45-minute drive from Pocomoke City on a good day. It takes Snow Hill residents about half an hour to reach the convention center. No voter should have to drive that far to vote early.

I’m a resident of both Worcester and Sarasota County, Fla. and vote in Florida. While Sarasota County is larger than Worcester, their County Commission and Supervisor of Elections offer 10 Early Voting sites across the County ensuring minimal drive time to vote. Seven of these Early Voting sites are in public library meeting rooms. (See sites below.)

So, Worcester County could offer Early Voting at either the Pocomoke or Snow Hill libraries and eliminate the unreasonable drive time to the Ocean City Convention Center. Sarasota County sets up several tables/chairs for voter check-in, sets up a few ballot booths, and provides an optical scanner to accept and tabulate the ballots at each site. Staffing is minimal. The same could be done in Worcester County.

Voters who live from Pocomoke to Berlin would experience the same Early Voting convenience as voters who live in or close to Ocean City.  Seems like a reasonable proposal, right?  Then please do it.

Pat Rounds
Ocean Pines