Most Wake County schools will be closed on Election Day this November.
The school board voted in favor of the change Tuesday night, after parents raised concerns over school safety.
Wake County uses 75 schools as polling places on Election Day. Nearly 77,000 voters cast ballots at these sites in 2018. Turnout is likely to surge this year with competitive races for U.S. Senate, Congress, and the General Assembly.
A parents group called the Safe Schools Polling Initiative raised concerns about unauthorized people on campuses while students are in class, following the school shooting in Uvalde Texas.
Wake County will use one of three days set aside for bad weather. But district leaders warned that would create problems for year-round, multi-track schools.
The board voted to close traditional calendar schools, and will decide what to do with year-round schools later this month.
Schools in Durham, Orange, and Johnston counties, along with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will be closed on Election Day for a teacher workday.