Some Annapolis residents say that after two shootings near their polling place at the Eastport Community Center, they may decide to stay home on Election Day.

"I feel that it is unfairly putting our representation in a gerry-mandered position because a lot of those people feel very safe, but a lot of other people won't venture over there at all," Steven Conn said. "We don't want it to be moved. We understand that there are people there with limited mobility, but give us an alternative." On Sunday night, near the community center, and in June, Orlando Sherman McDaniel, 29, of Annapolis he suffered near the 1100 block of Madison Street, which is nearby. No arrests have been made in either case.

For one Eastport resident, who asked not to be identified, her concerns go beyond the recent violence. She said she's been harassed at the polling place while trying to vote in past years. "I have gone there, and either on my way in or on my way out, I've been heckled about who I was going to vote for," she said. "I've had them where they blocked my car as I was trying to leave. It's a very unsafe feeling, very unsafe."

Greg Brennan, another area resident, disagreed with the characterization that the polling place is unsafe. "The area around the Eastport Community Center has no history of daytime violence, especially assault on passersby," Brennan said. "The only risk is that some people will have to overcome their neuroses about poor people."

Scott Shaffer, the District 30 representative for the Anne Arundel County GOP, has served as an election judge at the community center.

"At no time did I feel unsafe, or witness voters being harassed by residents of the public housing community." Shaffer said. "Given the recent shooting and general increase in crime among Annapolis Housing Authority neighborhoods, I know many residents are hoping the city police department will step up their patrols of the area on Election Day."

Alderman Mathew Silverman (D-5th Ward) said that sounded like a fair compromise for this election cycle. He even said he would recommend stationing a patrol car outside the community center during voting hours. Whether the threat is real or perceived didn't matter to Silverman.