Precinct
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the law enforcement usage, see police station.
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. There are several different uses for the word.
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[edit] Elections
A precinct is generally the lowest-level minor civil division in the United States. Precincts usually do not have separate governmental authorities, but for purposes of conducting elections, the next highest-level MCD, such as a county, township, etc., is subdivided into precincts and each address is assigned to a specific precinct. Each precinct has a specific location where its residents go to vote. Sometimes several precincts will use the same polling station. A 2004 survey by the United States Election Assistance Commission reported an average precinct size in the United States of approximately 1100 registered voters. Kansas had the smallest average precinct size with 437 voters per precinct, while the District of Columbia had the largest average size at 2704 voters per precinct [1].
Political parties often designate individuals, known by various titles such as "precinct captain" or "Precinct Committee Officer", to help them keep track of how the voters in a precinct feel about candidates and issues, and to encourage people to vote.
Precinct data are not widely available. Data on your precinct can be found by contacting your local governmental unit's election office.
[edit] Religion
It can refer to the ground (sometimes consecrated) immediately surrounding a religious house or place of worship (e.g. Ancient Rome).
[edit] Public Housing
In Singapore, a precinct refers to a cluster of public housing blocks arranged as a single unit.
[edit] Pedestrian Mall
In the South of England, the Pedestrian Shopping Mall, the part of the Town Centre where no cars are allowed, is often called a "Shopping Precinct", or just "The Precinct" when giving directions.
