Voters can start casting their vote for U.S. senator, school board members, the county sheriff and more on Wednesday and throughout the next four weeks leading up to the general election.
Johnson County Clerk Sue Anne Misiniec encourages anyone who is ready to cast a ballot at one of the early voting sites and avoid waiting in line on Election Day.
Election officials hope to see a strong turnout each year, and the first indication is how many people vote early.
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Early voter turnout has fluctuated in recent years. In the 2016 presidential election, 32 percent of voters voted early, breaking a record for Johnson County. But overall, few people take advantage of early voting. In the primary election this spring, about 4,000 people — or 22 percent of people who voted — did so early.
“Johnson County was very receptive to vote centers; they like that. We just haven’t got them over the hump of voting early. I don’t know if it’s just instilled in people to vote on Election Day, or if they just don’t have their minds made up,” Misiniec said.
“A lot of counties that had already gone to vote centers said, ‘Oh, you’ll see such a change. There will be very few voters on Election Day and you’ll have all of this turnout at your early sites. That hasn’t happened yet in Johnson County.”
She is worried early voter turnout will be lower this election because it does not include a presidential race, and overall turnout in those elections is always lower even though voters will select a new sheriff, clerk, county council members, school board members, and state and federal representatives.
The first day for early voting is usually busy, then enthusiasm wanes, Misiniec said.
She doesn’t understand why people choose to stand in long lines on Election Day when they have several opportunities leading up to Nov. 6 to go to one of five vote centers scattered throughout the county and cast their vote within minutes.
The Johnson County Courthouse will be open weekdays for early voting beginning Wednesday. It will also be open on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 — both are Saturdays — and until noon on Nov. 5, the day before Election Day.
The Trafalgar Public Library, Edinburgh Public Library, Vineyard Christian Church in Greenwood and Mount Pleasant Christian Church, also in Greenwood, are other places residents can vote early. You can vote at any of the locations regardless of your address, as long as you live in Johnson County.
None of the votes are counted until Election Day.
“We count all votes. By law, we’re not allowed to start counting any votes until that afternoon. But everything goes in the hopper. They all count,” Misiniec said.
“Still, a lot of people have in their minds, ‘I’m not voting unless it’s Election Day.’”
Having some people vote early helps keep the wait at voting centers shorter on Election Day and makes it easier for staff to tally as soon as they’re allowed. But mostly, they offer it because often times it’s more convenient for the voters.
“If they have their mind made up, go ahead and vote,” Misiniec said.
The voter registration deadline is Tuesday. To make sure you’re registered, visit www.IndianaVoters.com or call the county’s voter registration office at 317-346-4466. If you’re registering today or Tuesday, it could take up to two weeks before your information is in the system and you can vote.
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Here is a look at where and when you can cast your ballot early:
Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday starting Wednesday
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3
8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Nov. 5
Trafalgar Public Library, 424 S. Tower Street, Trafalgar
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2
Vineyard Christian Church, 512 S. Madison Ave, Greenwood
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2
Edinburgh Public Library, 119 W. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2
Mount Pleasant Christian Church, 381 N. Bluff Road, Greenwood
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3
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