BOSTON (SHNS) – The state’s top elections official is floating the idea of setting up COVID-19 vaccine sites near polling places for the local elections scheduled this spring, a time period that lines up with an expected availability of the shots to more segments of the population.

In a Tuesday letter to Gov. Charlie Baker, Secretary of State William Galvin suggested a pilot program that would take advantage of upcoming municipal elections by staffing adjacent locations with temporary medical personnel “to serve defined populations, such as over 75 years of age.”

He noted that communities including Newton, Lexington, Wellesley and Duxbury have March elections scheduled, and many others have elected planned in April.

“With planning, this opportunity presents geographically organized populations which are specifically identified and where appropriate age can be verified,” Galvin wrote.

He said wide-scale vaccine distribution is like an election in that both “involve an army of trained temporary workers and enough space to accommodate large crowds with detailed record-keeping.”