For the first time in recent memory, Arizona’s largest public school district, Mesa Public Schools, is not opening its doors to voters as polling sites. This decision is the culmination of escalating concerns that reached a tipping point during a small, low-turnout election last November, which was plagued by misinformation and tension, according to the Washington Post.

“It was very chaotic,” Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson recalled. “It was overwhelming.”

Despite an expectation for voting to be conducted mostly by mail, distrust drove many voters to the schools to cast their ballots in person, leading to traffic congestion and confrontations. Confused voters mistook school staff for election workers and harassed them, some accusing them of “disenfranchising voters” for hosting secure ballot drop boxes.

“I couldn’t imagine it in 2024,” Thompson said. “We just don’t know how to make it work.”

Traditionally, public school gymnasiums, classrooms, and cafeterias have been central to American elections. However, this November, voters in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and more than half of Arizona’s registered voters, are unlikely to cast their ballots at schools. Instead, they might find themselves voting in rented storefronts, aquatic centers, or even a funeral home.

Since Donald Trump first appeared on the ballot in 2016, schools across this fiercely contested battleground county have increasingly opted out of hosting elections. According to a Washington Post analysis, schools comprised 37% of the county’s polling locations in 2016. This year, that figure has dropped to 14%.

Heightened school safety protocols and ongoing attacks on voting systems and personnel, largely from Trump and his supporters, have led school leaders nationwide to reconsider their participation in elections. Interviews with nearly 20 school district leaders, county officials, school safety experts, and election experts reveal a widespread withdrawal from the democratic process. In at least 33 states, laws mandate that public buildings, including schools, be made available as polling locations. However, many districts now cancel classes on Election Day.

The challenge is particularly severe in Arizona, where Trump’s narrow loss in 2020 spurred endless conspiracies, false claims of illegitimacy, and threats against county leaders and election workers. Trump allies, like Kari Lake, who lost her 2022 gubernatorial race and is now running for the Senate, have emboldened self-styled election-fraud detectors critical of both elections and the public school system.

Schools can opt out of hosting elections if principals cite insufficient space or student safety concerns. Administrators see little benefit in participating in an activity that could incite divisiveness and intimidating scenes, creating a dilemma for election officials who need accessible voting locations.

“In this environment, where you have people with body cameras and weapons being brandished, that is a concern — that is intimidating for many people,” said Scott Menzel, superintendent of the Scottsdale school district. “It just takes one flashpoint to ignite something catastrophic, and I absolutely don’t want that to happen on any of my campuses.”

The decline in school participation could confuse voters accustomed to familiar voting sites, potentially discouraging them from voting. Schools are often community hubs, their proximity and large spaces ideal for accommodating voters and election equipment. Maricopa County has had to find alternative locations, including renting private spaces in shopping malls, costing nearly $1 million this year, up from $53,000 in 2016.

“We cannot provide an in-person voting model without community support,” said Scott Jarrett, a county elections director. “That’s schools, churches, community centers, trusted buildings inside our communities. It is a civic duty and a responsibility we all share to ensure a strong democracy.”

Maricopa County’s team, responsible for securing polling sites, faces frequent rejections. Late last year, they began preparations for this year’s presidential election, driving across the county to scout potential locations. They comb through county assessor records, looking for large properties, and reach out to various institutions. Despite emphasizing their need for polling places, many decline due to parking issues, space limitations, or other reasons. Over the past four years, 159 locations, including 28 schools, have stopped serving as polling sites.

In 2016, schools made up 239 of the county’s 644 polling locations. By 2020, amid the pandemic, the county allowed voters to cast ballots at any location, reducing the overall number of sites to 175, with 27 schools participating. For the July 30 primary, only 31 of 221 polling locations were schools. General election sites will likely follow a similar pattern.

“This is people making a cost-benefit analysis,” said Bill Gates, a Republican county supervisor. “The costs are perceived as being greater because it could create issues or bring threats of violence — or even violence. And by hosting a vote center, could they be pulled into a conspiracy? Is it worth it?”

Curtis Finch, a superintendent north of downtown Phoenix, decided against hosting a polling site after a 2022 incident where a man brought a firearm onto school property. “In the old days, it was fun, and people were excited to vote,” Finch said. “Well, now it’s a big production.”