DEER PARK, La. &045; Going to vote at the Deer Park Road precinct is like going home.

There are snacks on the table, friendly faces in the chairs and even a family dog nipping at your heels.

In fact, for Dorothy Dew the precinct is home.

Every election day for the last 25 or so years Dew has opened up the front room of her house to a voting machine, two other commissioners and a stream of up to 81 registered voters.

Dew, who has been a commissioner for about 45 years, said she volunteered her home when another Deer Park precinct closed down and the need arose.

&uot;It’s just natural,&uot; she said.

The parish brings the large voting machine to Dew’s house the night before the election and picks it up the morning after. Other than posting a few signs in the room, Dew and the other commissioners just have to be there throughout the day.

Commissioner in charge Dorothy Coco said though voters come at a pretty steady pace, they passed the time by talking, reading and eating.

When the weather is good the voting machine usually sits outside and the voting plays second fiddle to the fellowship.

&uot;We always cook up something,&uot; Dew said. &uot;Everybody in the community comes by an eats.&uot;

Coco said elections serve as a reunion of sorts for the people of the precinct.

&uot;It’s kind of a community get together day,&uot; she said. &uot;They come in and talk and we catch up on the gossip. At a big polling place you can’t visit.&uot;

At around 3 p.m. Tuesday the precinct, which stretches from Red River to the end of the parish, had seen 31 voters. Coco said turnout in presidential and sheriff’s elections was usually high, but in the last election on the same-sex marriage amendment they only had 10 voters.

In addition to the community family, voting day is a family affair for Coco as well. Son Barry and his two sons often work the polls with her.

New voters who have some questions about the voting machine can get a quick rundown on the sample ballot from Coco’s 7-year-old grandson, Taylor.

&uot;Our children grow up in the polls,&uot; Coco said. &uot;When my son went to commissioner school he said it was a breeze to pass the test.&uot;

After the polls close at 8 p.m. the commissioners print out the results from the machine, pack up, and home is once again just home.