The first two voters of the 2022 election season check in Tuesday at the Johnson County courthouse during the opening of early voting. Early voting continues at the courthouse throughout April and on May 2, and at satellite voting centers starting April 23.
RYAN TRARES | DAILY JOURNAL
As the clock turned to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the county’s first voter of the 2022 election season waited patiently to cast her vote.
Ora Mae Smith had made it a priority to get to the Johnson County courthouse on the first day of early voting. Though there was no particular race or issue that compelled her this year, the White River Township resident is driven to vote in each election, ideally before long lines form at the vote centers.
“I don’t like to be around big crowds, so I try to get before everyone else. Years ago, I got here and I was third in line,” she said.
A handful of voters sharing Smith’s mindset came to the courthouse basement Tuesday to help shape county, state and national government. More than 45 local, state and federal offices are on the ballot this spring, as well as elections for delegates to the Democratic and Republican state conventions, and Democrat precinct committeemen.
Early voting will continue throughout April and into May. After more than a year without an election, county officials are ready for the surge, said Trena McLaughlin, county clerk.
“It’s exciting. Without an election in 2021, we had to get geared back up for 2022,” she said. “We’ve tried to prep as much as we could early.”
Local voters will decide races at all levels of government — from the county prosecutor and town council members to state representatives to U.S. senators. Contested local races are for prosecutor, county council districts 1 and 4, town councils in Bargersville, New Whiteland and Edinburgh, Nineveh Township Trustee, and the Union Township seat on the Franklin Union Needham Township Board.
Democrats and Republicans will also choose which congressional candidate they would like to see advance to the general election in the fall.
In the minutes before the polls opened Tuesday, poll workers and election officials went over the final preparations for the start of voting. They tested scanners and voter registries, and made sure the voting machines were online and ready.
Within the first 30 minutes, about 10 people had come to cast their ballot.
“It’s gone great so far,” McLaughlin said. “We have some new poll workers here today, so we did some training with them. We’re ready to go.”
Mike Watkins, a Republican candidate for county assessor, wanted to ensure his vote was cast as early as possible. For him, the state-level offices, such as state representatives, are the most intriguing this primary season.
“I’ve been reviewing the candidates interviews in the newspaper, and I have an interest in that,” the Franklin resident said.
Vickie Broshears is a county employee, and took advantage of the early voting location being so close to her office.
“It’s convenient for me. I want to be sure I have that vote in there,” she said.
The county assessor race is one of the most important to her, though the number of contested county races also makes for a compelling election year.
“There are a lot that are running this year. It’s an interesting year,” she said.
More early voting sites will open across Johnson County closer to Election Day. Satellite early voting centers will open at Johnson County Public Library branches in White River Township and Trafalgar, Greenwood Public Library, John R. Drybread Community Center, Greenwood Village South Retirement Community and Otterbein SeniorLife Community, according to documents from the Johnson County clerk.
Election officials will start training poll workers for the satellite voting centers today and Thursday, McLaughlin said. Another training is slated for April 19, 20 and 21.
At that point, everything should be in place for both early voting and Election Day, McLaughlin said.
Prior to casting a ballot, voters should have identification, such as a driver’s license, ready at the polls. Voters from Edinburgh should be prepared to vote on a school referendum question, proposing a tax hike to raise teacher salaries to meet state requirements, McLaughlin said.
Voters also should be aware that in the primary, they have to declare their party, she said.
Election officials are not requiring masks to be worn while voting, though masks will be available for voters who want them, McLaughlin said.
“We’ll have them here in anyone wishes to get one when they get here,” she said. ”We have our face guards up, which will offer some additional protection for our poll workers and our voters, and we do have some cleaning disinfectant to wipe the machines down.”
At a glance
Early voting
Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, will be open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday. The courthouse is also open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23 and 30, and 8:30 a.m. to noon, May 2.
The following vote centers will be open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 23 and 30, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., April 25 to 29:
- White River Public Library, 1664 Library Boulevard, Greenwood
- Greenwood Public Library (east door), 310 S. Meridian St.,
- Trafalgar Public Library, 424 S. Tower St.
- John R. Drybread Community Center, 100 E. Main Cross St., Edinburgh.
Retirement community voting centers
- Greenwood Village South Retirement Community, 295 Village Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25
- Otterbein SeniorLife Community, 1070 W. Jefferson St., Franklin, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26.
Source: Johnson County Clerk’s Office
