The previous location for the Shawnee County elections office was in a shopping center storefront. Through the years it had accommodated the needs of the elections office but with many deficiencies. Several inefficiencies of processes from day to day activities and election night processes hindered the functionality of the space and ultimately the security of the election. The building lacked adequate storage space for election equipment as well as appropriate secure storage. Due to the limited space, election nights often crammed observing public into the offices.
The integrity of the election process was a key priority with the move and renovation of the County’s new facility. The previous location allowed limited separation between public areas and secure equipment and ballots. Flexibility of the space was also a high priority because the functions of the election office change significantly throughout the year depending on the election cycles.
The new facility provides separate entrances and wings of the building for public and secure ballot processing on election night. This facility also has meeting space for up to 100 persons on the lower level. This will be used for the elections office for training volunteers and open for use by other county departments. Additionally, the lower level has space allocated for future emergency management operations and a 911 dispatch center back up location.