Council moves to shrink voting lines at overstuffed precincts in some neighborhoods

The City Council today approved a request to the state legislature to let Boston create "sub-precincts" in certain crowded districts in Bay Village, Chinatown, Roxbury, Downtown, South Boston and the South End.

The proposal, if approved by Mayor Walsh, the legislature and Gov. Baker, would not change who residents get to vote for, but may change where they vote.

It's an attempt to deal with overcrowding at polling places caused by development in a city that has not redrawn its precinct lines in decades.

Councilor Bill Linehan, who represents the affected neighborhoods, and who co-sponsored the measure with Council President Michelle Wu, said some of the precincts now have more than 4,000 registered voters, which can mean particularly long lines on Election Day.