Why are some polls located in churches?

[Indiana_Dem]

As I remember growing up, it was always in schools and fire stations, etc. With the current fever of mixing faith with politics, isn't it a conflict of interest to go and vote inside a church? I mean, what if you are of a different faith or something? Tell me why this is? Discuss.

[gauguin57]

1. I am absolutely against churches and parochial schools being used

as polling places. There was religious stuff on the walls in the polling place where I pollwatched. That should JUST NOT BE! This is a freaking GOVERNMENTAL ELECTION for goodness sake.

Some of us local Democrats have been talking about making it an issue in our county.

This is a public election of the GOVERNMENT.

Separation of church and state.

[Indiana_Dem]

5. That's what I thought. I was a pollworker for 3 precincts

and voting was conducted inside a church. I've always voted at an administration building, a performing arts auditorium or a Knight of Columbus party hall. I've never voted in a church and I never knew that was a standard place to vote. When I was little I remember them blocking off the cafeteria so people could come vote in the gym by the cafeteria and then many people went to firestations.

[tk2kewl]

2. dunno

i just found out about this myself and was astonished. i always thought polls were always in public buildings

[oscar111]

3. seperate church and state.

i too was apalled. when did this begin and why? Reagan i bet.

have we learned nothing from the middle ages? from Iran theocracy?

[billbuckhead]

4. I've always voted in churches in Buckhead

i feel violated somehow.

[napi21]

6. We vote in a church in Flowery Branch, Ga. It's no big deal.

When we firt moved here 4 years ago, we voted in the public school, but when the area grew much larger, they split the district. Our polling place was changed to a local church, and the other half of the district continues to vote at the school. It's really no big deal. The only way you can even tell it's a church is the name outside. It's really not like walking into some churches and seeing religious symbols everywhere and pews and everything. It's just a big meeting place with what appears to be a stage, a sound system, and several rows of chairs.