Arizona Senate approves bill that would close schools on Election Day
Schools would be used as polling places
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona state senators passed a bill on Wednesday that would require Arizona schools to close on Election Day and serve as polling places.
Right now, school principals can deny a county’s request to use their campus as a voting center.
One point of contention among legislators is that Senate Bill 1097 bans teachers from taking off work on Election Day, despite there being no students on campus.
“The antithesis of freedom. That is oppressive and I vote no,” said Sen. Mitzi Epstein, a Democrat from Tempe.
“Well, if you’re so angry, I suggest you be angry with every district, public school district in the state,” responded Sen. Jake Hoffman, a Republican from Queen Creek.
Those against the proposed law take issue with requiring teachers to be on campus for training or development on Election Day.
It also prohibits staff from using any personal, vacation, or sick time that day.
Hoffman is the bill’s sponsor.
“It was only in very recent years that school districts stopped allowing their facilities to be used and instead started refusing it to the counties, making it harder for the county to find polling locations. This bill fixes that,” said Hoffman.
“If this doesn’t feel like a slap in the face, I don’t know what does because it says teachers and staff may not use personal vacation or other time on election days. Why?” said Epstein.
Hoffman argues districts already have black out dates where teachers can’t take off, but the opposition says that’s negotiated in contracts and should not be mandated by the Legislature.
Beth Lewis is the executive director of Save our Schools Arizona and believes principals should keep local control over their schools.
“Really don’t like the idea of our local school being converted into a political circus,” said Lewis.
She worries about safety, pointing out recent threats at voting centers in our state.
“Forcing teachers and staff to be on campus regardless of a bomb threat or armed militia in a violent election is very, very dangerous,” said Lewis.
Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed an election bill with similar concepts last month.
SB 1097 now heads to the House.
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