URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) – Champaign County is ramping up security ahead of Election Day. For the first time, Clerk Aaron Ammons is bringing in an outside organization to patrol various polling locations.
“I never really sort of thought we’d have to go this far,” Ammons said.
As of Saturday, a team of three un-armed people wearing plain clothing are monitoring the county’s 12 early in-person polling locations.
This comes after a fight broke out at a Champaign voting location on Oct. 26. Ammons said that hasn’t been the only stressful situation of the election season — he’s also dealt with poll watchers being overly assertive within the role.
Ammons knows safety concerns for election judges and voters have been growing nationally. He hopes this preventive measure eases any concerns they may have. Over the next few days, the security team will work with law enforcement officers if something concerning happens.
“We want to make sure that we can limit our calls to law enforcement to actual violence in the polling location, or someone brandishing a weapon or something like that,” Ammons said. “These security personnel are in hopes to keep people moving, keep people from starting situations or getting involved in situations in the polling location.”
On Election Day, 12 security personnel will be stationed across the county’s 65 polling places. Ammons said he’s confident voting will run smoothly until then, this is just an extra step to ensure that.
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