Portable Barriers Protect Voting Sites on Election Day
Voting is a precious right; the core of our democracy in the United States. Officials for the 2020 election continue to face challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of foreign cyberattacks. Election boards contending with these legitimate concerns should not neglect the physical security of each polling location.
Complicating the matter is the fact that most voting sites serve other purposes when there is not an election going on.
Election boards set up polling locations in places such as schools, churches, community centers, and libraries. These locations may be particularly vulnerable on Election Day but may not require the same level of security for the rest of the year. Our Delta Scientific portable barriers, which can be set up and taken down quickly and easily, may provide the necessary temporary protection to secure the physical voting site from the time the polls open to the time they close.
What Polling Locations Are at Greatest Risk on Election Day?
While all locations chosen for polling sites may be vulnerable on Election Day, the danger may be particularly great for schools, which have been the target of multiple terroristic threats for over 20 years. Some school officials seek to minimize the danger to students by scheduling professional development days, when only faculty are required to attend, coinciding with Election Day. However, this practice is the exception and most school districts continue to hold classes on Election Day as usual.
How Can Officials Keep Voting Sites Secure?
The following suggestions were made specifically for schools but could apply to other polling locations. It is recommended that voting take place in a specific location within the building. If there is an area with its own separate entrance and exit, such as a school gym, this is preferable to allowing voters to walk in and out through the main building. To reduce the number of vehicles near the building, it is preferable to restrict voter parking to an off-site area when possible.
How Can Portable Barriers Help?
Portable barriers can prevent voters from parking on the property of the polling place. When this is no longer an option, the designated parking area becomes the most attractive alternative. If voter parking takes place off-site, there will necessarily be a lot of foot traffic between the parking area and the polling location, and portable barriers and bollards can be set up in pedestrian areas to protect voters entering and exiting the building from motor vehicles. If needed, a portable drop-arm beam barrier can allow the facility’s regular contingent to enter the site and park in its parking lot while redirecting voters to the designated off-site parking area.
Portable barriers and bollards are lightweight and easy to set up and then tear down. Nevertheless, they typically have the ability to stop a 15,000-pound truck traveling between 30 and 40 miles per hour.
What Is Required at the Site?
Because our portable barriers and bollards are temporary, there is no need for any sub-surface preparation or excavation. All they need is an existing hard surface, which may be compacted soil (with or without vegetation), asphalt, or concrete. Some are light enough to be towed by a golf cart, some require a forklift, while others come with their own trailer for towing and storage. Find out more about high-security bollards and other portable barriers from Delta Scientific.
Sources:
https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/eac_assets/1/6/260.pdf
https://www.eac.gov/election-officials/election-security
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