Voter registration deadline fast approaching

The basement of the Johnson County Courthouse is bustling as election officials and volunteers prepare for the upcoming election.

Residents have until April 4 to register to vote in the upcoming primary election on May 3.

Local Republicans will decide races at all levels of government — from the county prosecutor to state representatives to U.S. senators. There are more than 45 local, state and federal offices on the ballot, as well as elections for delegates to the Democratic and Republican state conventions, and Democrat precinct committeemen. Democrats and Republicans will choose which congressional candidate they would like to see advance to the general election in the fall.

More than two-thirds of local offices have just one candidate each, including assessor, auditor, clerk, recorder and sheriff. Other local offices with just one candidate include Johnson County Commissioner District 2 and Whiteland Town Council Ward 2.

Still, there is plenty to vote for, especially for voters who request the Republican ballot. On it, there are races for prosecutor, Johnson County Council in District 1 and 4, and town councils in Bargersville, Edinburgh and New Whiteland. Additionally, there are contested races in some townships.

Voter registration

A total of 113,833 Johnson County residents are registered to vote, according to data from the Johnson County Clerk’s Office.

This is up nearly 10,000 from the 103,953 who were registered during the 2018 election, data shows.

Based on the 2020 Census, more than 122,900 local residents are 18 or older, meaning that more than 9,000 eligible voters are not registered.

The clerk’s office is constantly updating voter rolls, as residents die, move or turn 18, said Trena McLaughlin, county clerk.

With every new registration submitted, county employees update their records. With every new death, they remove voters, but retain their registration record in the office for four years, McLaughlin said.

Those who need to register for the first time or update their registration have about a month to do so.

The clerk’s office will notify voters that their registration has been updated by mailing a postcard. If a newly registered voter intends to vote early, they should wait until they receive that postcard in the mail to be sure their registration has been updated, McLaughlin said.

Absentee ballots

As of Monday, the clerk’s office had received 50 applications to vote by mail, and applications continue to pour in daily, said Crystal Siegfred, voter registration deputy.

So far, absentee-by-mail voting appears to have returned to normal levels after an all-time high of more than 8,000 people during the 2020 presidential election, Siegfred said.

Voters who meet specific criteria set by state law may request an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot requests must be submitted to the clerk’s office by 11:59 p.m. April 21 to vote by mail in the May 3 election. Completed ballots can be turned in until 6 p.m. on Election Day.

The first batch of absentee ballots are being prepared to send out March 19, with more to be sent out as requests are submitted, McLaughlin said.

Voters may send their completed application to the clerk’s office or drop it off in person. However, voters do not need to take any action if they have already submitted an application, she said.

Voters who still need an application may apply online or in-person at Johnson County Voter Registration, in the basement of the county courthouse in Franklin.

HOW TO REGISTER 

Here’s how to register to vote in the primary election. Those who were already registered are encouraged to check their registrations.

Online: You can register and check your registration at indianavoters.in.gov.

In-person: Visit the county voter registration office at the Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, or any license branch.

Deadline: April 4