Poll sites should not be located inside churches

To the Editor:

As I entered my voting place Tuesday, I was upset that I needed to enter a building owned and operated by a religious organization. There were paintings on the walls with the words "Jesus" that I could see during the time I was voting.

However, what really upset me was that the sample ballots were on a table when you first walked in. I wasn't upset about the ballots, but I was upset about the Bible, posters and display with religious messages on them. I should not be subjected to these obvious religious messages when I vote.

I voted and started to walk out of the building, and then I decided that I could not let this go. I went back to the worker who greeted me and checked my identification when I walked in. I asked her why there were religious materials on the table where the sample ballots were located. She said to me that this building is a church.

I responded that today this building was a voting place and shouldn't have religious materials displayed so obviously.

She called over another worker who said that she would remove the items.

I cannot help but think that those items were there before I came and voted (around 10 a.m.) and that they might have influenced others. I do not like to enter religious buildings when I am exercising my rights to vote. I do not like to vote absentee and prefer to do it on Election Day.

Having voting booths in churches needs to be discontinued and they should all take place in public buildings. There are many other public buildings in and around that should be utilized. I will fight to make sure that this happens.

Jeff Mitchell
Seymour, Ind.