Suspicious Backpack Prompts Evacuation and Relocation of Hyde Park Polling Site in Cincinnati

Election Day in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood was disrupted when an abandoned backpack led to the evacuation of a polling site. The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer on Erie Avenue had to be cleared after the suspicious item was found, temporarily halting the voting process. Cincinnati’s WLWT reported the church’s evacuation yesterday afternoon, leaving voters in Cincinnati precincts 4B and 4G to adjust their plans.

The Cincinnati Police initially forced the site to be evacuated, acting to ensure there was no imminent threat swiftly. Although the investigation eventually gave the all-clear, the decision was not to allow voters to return to the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer for the remainder of the night. According to Dayton 24/7 Now, officials redirected voters to Knox Presbyterian Church at 3400 Michigan Avenue to cast their ballots.

Alex Linser, Deputy Director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, clarified the situation during the disruption. “As far as we know the voters that were there stayed on site. Those who were already in the process of voting when the evacuation was ordered they finished voting outside and their ballots were secured,” Linser said in a statement obtained by FOX19. He reassured that those who had yet to vote were being redirected to the new polling location.

Despite the unsettling incident, local authorities responded promptly and carefully managed to minimize disruption to the democratic process. The Cincinnati Fire Department investigated the backpack but found no threat, as they announced the area cleared around 6 p.m. This ensured that the voters’ ability to participate in the election was to be interrupted scarcely. “The Hamilton County Board of Elections has received the ‘All-Clear’ from the Cincinnati Fire Department,” they announced, as reported by FOX19, solidifying that there was “no threat to public safety.”

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