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Illinois lawmakers want voters out of schools
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SPRINGFIELD — This might be the last election where voters in Illinois go to a school to cast a vote. A handful of Illinois lawmakers and Illinois police leaders want to stop using schools as polling places, saying it is just not safe anymore. "I just know in my heart of hearts, that if we continue to allow this, some day we are going to have a version of Sandy Hook," said Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, referring the shooting at the school in Connecticut. State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, is sponsoring the plan in the Illinois House. He said he would like to have his ban on voting in schools in place for the elections in 2014. "There are other places we can vote," Franks said at a Tuesday news conference in the state Capitol. "Police stations, fire stations, even the post office." "If we don't have schools, we won't have polling places," Franks' own county clerk, Kathie Schultz said. "We're already using fire stations and police stations, but many don't have the room to host a polling place." Schultz is in charge of elections in McHenry County and guessed that "about a quarter" of her county's 212 polling places are inside a school building. "We do not have that many public buildings in McHenry County," Schultz added. "We have a lot of homes, but not that many public buildings." Schultz said if lawmakers do not want to have voters inside schools while students are in class, then the state should cancel school on election day. Schools "could move around some of their days off," Schultz said. "It would be easier to close school than move the polls," he said. But Franks said students in Illinois need all the time they can get in a classroom. "Look at our test scores," the representative quipped when asked. State Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, said the focus of lawmakers and police officials since last year's mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school has been to make it tougher to own a gun. Bivins said making it tougher to get into a school is a better tactic. "We need to look at things other than just guns. I think that debate is going to go on for a long time," Bivins said. "In the interim, we need to make our schools safe." Topinka, the comptroller, said moving polling places out of school buildings would "not cost anyone anything," and said the idea is "common sense." Schultz said the federal government may not agree. "If we move the polls to a place that doesn't have parking, I could see the federal government getting involved," Schultz said. "I'm sure if we had issues with long wait times or access, then the feds would act." Franks' idea is just that at this point — an idea. Lawmakers have yet to have a hearing on the matter. 
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Today is Sunday, May 19, the 139th day of 2013. There are 226 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The Rt. Rev. Harry I. Witherspoon, D.D. Bishop of Illinois, willpreach in Trinity (Episcopal) Church, in this city this evening.
1888 -- 125 years ago: At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Mississippi River flooded itsbanks at Rock Island, destroying the warehouse of the Rock Island Lumber companyand damaging the Lumber Company and arsenal power plant. Total loss isestimated at $100.000.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Residents of South Rock Island township are circulating a petitionfavoring the annexation of that area to the city of Rock Island.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Mrs. Thomas Ackles, of Rock Island, has been elected president ofthe Playcrafters for the next season. She succeeds Warren Leonard.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Some 8,000 people filed through the gates of Rock Island Arsenal on Saturday to view a display of a part of the nation's armed strength. The occasion was theannual observance of Armed Forces Day.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Willis Kuschmann, of Moline, who already has won his laurels as oneof the most artistic men in the Quad-Cities area, has a new hobby. He is deeply involvedin miniature railroading. At the age of 88, when many other seniors are dozing in theirchairs or sitting before the television, Mr. Kuschmann is planning and working on hiscollection.
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