The Tartu municipal authorities are planning to open a polling station in a Tartu department store in order to stimulate voter turnout, the daily Tartu Postimees reported. Instead of the polling place being located in the University's physics building, the 14th polling station will in the future be relocated to a Tartu department store. It will also be open for advance voting from February 26 to 28 for residents from other voting districts. Tartu municipal secretary Juri Molder said the decision was made to make polling simper for people. However, Political scientist Rein Toomla doubted that the new location would increase electoral activity. On the contrary, changing the polling place could frighten away some of the electors, Tartu Postimees wrote. Although the department store is open only until six in the evening on Sundays, its doors will be open until eight on election day. The polling station will be established outside a refreshement area on the third foor of the department store. No agreement has been reached yet concerning the rent to be paid to the department store owner for the installation of the polling station.
