16 Lodi schools will serve as polling stations. Election officials want to increase security.

LODI – Polling places at school sites are common. With Election day is just around the cornerHow do officials ensure students and voters are safe?

That’s the question some parents in Lodi are asking. Some say they don’t want voters in schools during school hours, but the county elections office said schools are needed to give communities more choice options.

A total of 16 schools within Lodi Unified will be open to the public as polling locations – 13 of which are elementary schools.

Lois Borchardt Elementary School mom Kiara Juarez isn’t comfortable with the idea of ​​voters coming to campus during school hours.

Your concern is security.

“A lot of school shootings, they just let people into the school. I’m not sure it’s really safe,” she said.

San Joaquin County voter registrar Olivia Hale said the county is adding more staff on Election Day to prevent voters from wandering outside of designated areas on campus.

Lodi Unified said in a statement:

“[We] Work with staff to designate limited access areas on campus. This is done whenever possible to limit voter access to the main campus.”

Stay Outside tape, signs and school staff will be on site to ensure voters remain in designated areas and students can go about their day.

Hale added that she appreciates the schools’ cooperation with the district, but she hopes the district can use other common spaces and move away from schools by 2026.