Phoenix Votes: Doors Locked at City Voting Center in South Phoenix Church

​A New Times editor and Phoenix resident dutifully headed to the closest voting center at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church earlier today to cast his ballot. And the doors were locked.

Some people who were waiting outside left. Others kept knocking on the door until a poll worker opened it for the few people who remained to go inside and vote.

When confronted about the nonsense of locking the doors of a polling place, one of the workers explained that the church was in a "dangerous area" and the doors were going to stay locked.

Not for long.

City officials tell New Times that they dispatched a Phoenix City Clerk employee, and indeed, found that the doors had been locked sometime before 5 p.m.

"There was a communication problem," says Stephanie Ribodal Romero, a city spokeswoman. "We have a contract with them and they are supposed to keep the doors open."

Well, the doors are open again, and Ribodal Romero says city officials apologize for the inconvenience.