Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors on Monday ratified costs to install a new door in the circuit clerk’s office to give the public a secure space to vote via absentee ballot. The $54,891 change order, however, was a step backwards in the eyes of the election commission, according to Election Commissioner Gloria Dancy.

Election Commissioners have been working with the Board of Supervisors for almost a year to find space in the new Lauderdale County Government Center for both the commission offices and storage of the county’s voting equipment.

Dancy said the door, which is needed as conducting absentee voting in the hallway would not meet the requirements of a secure election, will cut the election commission’s already limited space even more.

“The communication between the board and the election commission have been really nonexistent,” she said.

Supervisors and commissioners have met on several occasions to discuss possible solutions to the space issue, with commissioners explaining to the board about what the law requires concerning secure storage of voting equipment, testing of machines before elections and more. In its July 22 meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve commissioners’ request to use the circuit clerk’s space in the old courthouse for additional storage and workspace.

Dancy said Monday that the space would be too small to meet all of the commission’s needs if the office space in the new courthouse was taken away.

“The election commissioners should not be forced to give up their office and work downtown,” she said.

In working to address the need for an additional door, supervisors got price quotes on two different approaches. The first approach, quoted at $76,109, would have repurposed two supply closets to add the door next to the service window of the circuit clerk’s office. The second, at $44,337, makes use of a secure hallway previously reserved for employees only. The second option also requires sacrificing some of the area designated for the election commission’s offices.

Supervisors on July 22 voted to go with the second option. Supervisor J.J. Anders told the board he had spoken with Circuit Clerk Donna Jill Johnson who had signed off on the plan.

Dancy said commissioners have been told they will not be using their storage space in the new courthouse as office space, which will not work. Just a few months remain until the 2024 election, and the commission does not have the space it needs to properly do its job, she said.

“It’s impossible. You all are asking us to do an impossible task when we need space to do this work,” she said.

Instead of taking office space from the commission, Dancy said she is requesting the Board of Supervisors go with the first proposal that puts the circuit clerk’s door through the two supply closets. Additionally, she said she requests secure space be made available for the storage and testing of the county’s voting equipment and that the office space originally allocated for the election commission be returned.

“Ya’ll need to revisit that. Put that door through those two storage rooms, and let us keep our space,” she said.

The new Lauderdale County Government Center, which was designated as the new county courthouse, was occupied in October 2023. As of Monday, the circuit clerk’s office and election commission have not yet moved to the new location citing the ongoing space concerns.

Supervisor Craig Houston said he understands the situation is frustrating for the election commission and wants to find a solution that will address the issues Dancy raised. There isn’t going to be a fix that makes everyone happy, he said, but there should be a way to make sure people have the space they need to do their jobs.