The Town of Northborough Select Board agreed Feb. 10, 2025, to convene a working group to evaluate whether to move polling places out of school buildings for some local elections. Board members said they received concerns from parents and the school committee about using school facilities on election days and that alternatives should be explored.

Members requested a meeting that includes the town clerk (Andy), the school superintendent, and the police chief to examine data on early and in-person voting, clarify operational constraints and weigh options such as the senior center, Milliken (town-owned school/municipal facility), or large nontraditional venues. The clerk's office was noted as the source for turnout and early-voting statistics; board members agreed to wait until the clerk returns from vacation to schedule an initial meeting.

Board members discussed practical constraints: the senior center's single driveway and smaller parking lot, Milliken's connections to multiple school buildings (which could force closing several buildings if an election required school closure), and the logistical challenges of splitting precincts across multiple sites. Outside-the-box options such as grocery-store cafeterias (one member cited Wegmans as an example used in other communities) were noted as possible but would require outreach and agreements.

No formal policy change or vote was taken; the board committed to convene stakeholders and report back with data and recommendations in a future meeting.