Voters in the Warren Central precinct will have a new polling location starting this fall.

The Warren County Board of Elections approved moving the precinct from the Courthouse to the Salvation Army during a Wednesday afternoon meeting.

A myriad of reasons were cited for the change.

Elections Director Krystle Ransom cited safety concerns.

Single point of entry requires people to enter the courthouse off of Fifth Ave. but the front doors are open for election days, requiring additional security.

“It’s just not… really feasible,” she said. “We did talk to the Salvation Army and they are more than on board with this.”

This change would consolidate voting in the City of Warren down to two locations – the Salvation Army and Holy Redeemer Church.

Ransom said there are a combined 3,386 voters that go to Holy Redeemer and with this consolidation, the Salvation Army would see a combined total of 2,156.

“We’re more than capable of getting it done,” she said.

“My view more so is one of efficiency,” Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said, explaining that it is “better to monitor and set up one location.”

Commissioner Ben Kafferlin said the “reason that really pushed me over” is the “terrible parking situation” that voters have complained about at the courthouse the last couple years.

He said election law is also rather strict about the presence of law enforcement at polling locations.

While the decision was unanimous, there was pushback by some of the people that work the polls at Warren Central.

Karen Black, the judge of elections for the precinct, said they “seldom have any security anyhow. The argument for requiring more security doesn’t seem to us to make so much (sense).”

Opposing the move, Black said the location at the courthouse is “ideal for the number of voters we get. It just works very well.”

Sally Eaton, inspector of elections at the precinct, said she would be willing to present a petition from people “who are not in favor of this.”

She noted that there are a “lot of polling places in Warren County that don’t have any security. Here in the courthouse we feel very safe.”