Oxford’s Precinct #1 could easily be nicknamed ‘the nomad’ because its polling place is about to change locations for the second time this year, but township Clerk Curtis Wright is hoping this will be the last stop.

When voters in Precinct #1, which encompasses the entire village, go to cast their ballots in the Nov. 8 general election, they will be doing so at the Oxford United Methodist Church (OUMC), located at 21 E. Burdick St.

That’s the new polling place for the approximately 2,500 registered voters in the village, which is the largest of the township’s seven precincts.

Prior to this change, Precinct #1 voters had been casting their ballots in the community room at the village municipal complex located at 22 W. Burdick St. This space was used for the March and August primary elections this year.

For many years, the precinct’s polling site had been the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center, or Vets Hall, located at 28 N. Washington St. But after the township sold the building to a private party in August 2015, the polling station had to move and it’s not easy to find a new spot.

“I was really limited as to where (it) could go,” Wright said.

According to the Michigan Bureau of Elections, whenever possible, a polling place must be located in a publicly-owned or controlled facility such as a school, fire station or police station. Also acceptable are buildings owned or controlled by nonprofit organizations exempt from federal income taxes, such as churches.

OUMC will be the third church used by the township as a polling site. Christ the King hosts the fourth and fifth precincts, while Oxford Free Methodist is home to Precinct #3.

Although the community room was a good stopgap polling station, it was simply too small for the large precinct’s needs, according to Wright. “It was definitely tight,” he said. “It was probably about a third of the size of the Vets Hall.”

Wright said the OUMC is “as big as the Vets Hall, maybe bigger.”

“We will have more room for the voters and for the (election) workers – and have more parking as well,” he said. “This looks like it’s going to be a better deal.”

Wright is glad to have a larger polling place for the upcoming general election because they typically garner higher levels of voter-turnout.

“With the colder weather coming on,” the clerk was concerned about the possibility of having a line of voters waiting outside the community room. He doesn’t have that fear about the church.

Wright appreciates church leaders’ willingness to open their doors to local voters.

“We’re definitely thankful,” he said.

The township will do its best to not interfere with church activities or inconvenience anyone at the OUMC, according to Wright.

“We’ll see how it works out,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be the last relocation.”

New voter identification cards have been mailed to all registered voters in Precinct #1.

Folks with questions are encouraged to call the township clerk’s office at (248) 628-9787, extension 5.