In the United States, multi=-purpose and assembly rooms of churches are common polling places for elections. However, I’ve never heard of a polling station in a synagogue or mosque.
Several years ago, I voted at “The J” – the Buffalo Jewish Center – but it’s not a synagogue. Are non-Christian religious facilities ever used as polling places?
One of the polling places where I used to live was at a synagogue. For all I know, our local one here is too; it would be a good place to have one.
Apparently, the standard practice when “borrowing” a congregation’s facilities as a polling place, is that the place of voting not be the sanctuary itself, but a common area that is freely accessible by people of all religions – i.e. nowhere where you’d have to cover yourself, or take your shoes off, or whatever.
The convenience in terms of centrality, space, accessibility and parking availability of established mainstream churches tends to make it just that much easier as a polling place.
From this AFP article on the voting in Florida:
The previous election, I voted in a synagogue. The booths were in a small classroom. I don’t recall seeing any religious symbols.
Other elections, I’ve voted in a retirement home and at a private club/restaurant. My precinct seems to choose a different polling location each election.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, 32 of our 135 polling places are in churches, of various kinds, including:
There is also a YMCA building, a YWCA building, an electrical workers Union Hall, several retirement homes/senior citizen residences, and a whole bunch of park, library, and school buildings.
CNN just covered a mosque that is being used for voting, I think in Colorado (though I could be wrong about the location).