4:35 p.m., Greenwood Public Library
By the final hours of the primary election, the Greenwood Public Library became proven to be a hotspot of activity Tuesday.
The polling place at the heart of the city had seen around 1,100 people come to cast their ballots, said poll inspector Chris Sifers. The site is always one of the busiest during elections, but the heated mayoral race has only added to that this year.
“It’s been steady all day,” he said. “We usually have a higher turnout than everybody else, by more than double.”
Lines weren’t a problem, despite the constant volume of voters, Sifers said. The library had been set up with 12 machines available, and at most, people had to wait a minute to check in. None of the machines had any issues throughout the day.
“Not a single one – knock on wood, since we’re not done yet,” Sifers said.
The higher turnout also brought out waves of candidate supporters, who filled the library’s parking lots with signs and greeted voters who walked by.
“Everybody gravitates here, because they knew this is where everybody comes to vote,” Sifers said.
3:40 p.m., White River Library, Greenwood
As voters arrived at the polling site to cast their ballots, they were greeted by dozens of signs and volunteers outside White River Library.
Multiple candidates for races in Greenwood and Bargersville were represented in the display. But two names dominated, both in number of signs and supporters – Mark Myers and Joe Hubbard.
The Greenwood mayoral race had dominated the primary election season, as both candidates ran aggressive campaigns to represent the Republican Party in the November general election.
Though it’s never completely clear what is driving voting in any given election, poll inspector Heather Overton seemed confident it was driving voter turnout in the area.
“Definitely the mayor’s race,” Overton said. “It seems to be a point of interest for the whole community, to be able to impact that race.”
That race, and the issue of public safety, was foremost on the minds of Andrew and Alana Hiteshew.
“I’m a fireman, and I live in the area,” Andrew Hiteshew said when asked why it was important to come out and vote.
Alana Hiteshew added, “We want to support public safety.”
– Ryan Trares
3:30 p.m., White River Library, Greenwood
Traffic was brisk at the White River Branch of the Johnson County Public Library, where a steady number of voters had been arriving to cast their ballots since the polls opened in the morning.
About 450 people had voted by mid-afternoon – an encouraging turnout for a municipal primary election, said Heather Overton, poll inspector.
“Especially with early voting and a municipal election, that seems really good.
Despite a constant number of voters, the line was constantly moving throughout the day, Overton said. There had been no mechanical or technical issues with the voting machines.
The main issue of the day came as voters from outside municipal borders in Greenwood or Bargersville came in to vote, Overton said. Only Johnson County residents who lived within municipal boundaries could vote this year, which some voters didn’t realize as they headed to the polls.
“The excitement to vote is really high. There has been a little bit of confusion about where the city limits are, and which voters can be voting,” she said. “We’re at the edge of Greenwood, so we get an interesting half-and-half.”
But overall, Overton was encouraged that the process had been a positive one for voters.
“This has probably been one of the smoothest elections I’ve ever done,” she said.
– Ryan Trares
Greenwood Christian Church 3:15 p.m.
While some Greenwood voters were happy with the direction Greenwood was heading in, others weren’t.
Greg Lightfoot said he was voting for first-time mayoral candidate Joe Hubbard, but was disappointed with negative advertising from both Hubbard and Mayor Mark Myers.
“I’ll be honest, I was disgusted by both sides on the smear ads they sent out. It caused a lot of people I know who had decided one way and then saw the negative information on both sides and some people decided not to vote because it was hard to tell who to believe,” Lightfoot said.
Even though he’s voting for a change, citing a need for improvement in public safety and infrastructure, he said he thinks both candidates want what’s best for Greenwood.
“I honestly believe both mayoral candidates genuinely want to do better for the city and they have different ways of looking at it,” he said.
Greenwood resident Peggy Albright didn’t disclose who she voted for but said she was satisfied with Greenwood’s leadership.
“For the past 15 years I’ve been voting Democratic, but today I wanted to vote for a Republican mayor,” she said. “What I can tell you is, I’ve enjoyed seeing how Greenwood has grown, including the schools, and the taxes have stayed level.”
Johnson County GOP Chair Beth Boyce was one of more than 400 voters to cast their vote at Greenwood Christian Church by 3 p.m. While she’s not allowed to campaign for a candidate, she said she was keeping her mind on key issues affecting Greenwood as she went to the polls.
“I’m a parent of three kids and a resident of the city. Crime is an issue, I think, and obviously, we’ve heard a lot about the growth and development of housing in the city,” she said. “So those are some of the things that have been on my mind.”
–Andy Bell-Baltaci
Greenwood Christian Church 2:30 p.m.
Campaign signs were aplenty as Greenwood residents in support of Mayor Mark Myers and Republican challenger Joe Hubbard lined the entrance to Greenwood Christian Church.
Greenwood City Council member Brad Pendleton arrived at the voting center at 6:30 a.m. Wearing a winter coat and carrying a “Joe Hubbard for Mayor” sign, he said he’s supporting the first-time mayoral candidate because of what he said are issues in Greenwood with public safety.
“I’ve been on the ballot before so I know how much work it takes to go through the campaign, so I’m helping somebody out,” Pendleton said. “I support (Hubbard) because of his support of public safety. It’s also about getting back to listening to residents.”
Greenwood resident Kevin Hoover’s shirt in support of incumbent Mark Myers matched the red “Re-elect Mayor Mark Myers” sign in his hands.
“I’ve supported Mark for all 12 years that he’s been in office,” Hoover said. “He’s done a lot of good work for the city in terms of helping with police and public safety, contrary to what some of our opponents might have said. That’s all fiction. I’m very proud of the things that have happened in our city.”
In the middle of the Hubbard and Myers supporters stood Liz Moan, wife of Greenwood City Council candidate Steve Moan, who arrived at the church at 6 a.m. to support her husband’s candidacy while he was greeting voters at the Greenwood Public Library.
“I would just say he’s very responsible and committed to Greenwood and wants what’s best for people,” Moan said. “He’s a very reasonable person and will work with anyone.”
–Andy Bell-Baltaci
1:30 p.m. Franklin Cultural Arts and Recreation Center
By 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, 172 voters had cast their Election Day ballots.
Two of those voters were Franklin residents Dennis Hamilton, 63, and Elisa Hamilton, 59, who have voted for decades.
Although each election has its own importance, the two came out to the polls with the Franklin City Council race on their minds, they said.
One of the top priorities for whoever is elected should be to control the rate of development, Dennis Hamilton said.
“We hope to keep Franklin a relatively small community and not grow it too much,” he said. “There’s a lot going on now with buildings and housing and we’d like to see it slow down.”
When development happens, it should be to increase the quality of life for residents, Elisa Hamilton said.
“Franklin has been moving in a good direction as far as revitalizing the downtown, bringing people in who are interested in our area,” she said. “But I do think progress for the sake of progress is not helpful for our area. We want to stay a small town but also grow and you can do that without becoming a Noblesville. I think there should be services for senior citizens, community services and activities supported by the community.”
Jim Heck, also a Franklin resident, said he’s been voting in more elections than he can count.
“We need to continue to keep Franklin safe and keep an eye on development to make sure it’s handled in a proper way,” Heck said.
Turnout is somewhat lower than he expected, but election inspector Richard Wertz said his duty of assisting people as they enter the polls is important regardless of the number of voters.
Wertz has been working at the Franklin vote center each election since he retired, he said.
“I think it’s important to give back to the people and allow them the opportunity to vote for the people to lead us into the future,” Wertz said.
–Andy Bell-Baltaci
12:45 p.m., Franklin Cultural Arts and Recreation Center
Franklin City Council candidates Todd Shuck and Ross Shilts didn’t let an unseasonably chilly day stop them from greeting voters at the polls on Election Day.
Shilts, a first-time candidate who works as a fitness manager, spent most of his time
campaigning outside the Johnson County Courthouse during early voting. This time, he changed locations, getting to the Franklin Cultural Arts and Recreation Center at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Most voters showed up between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., but turnout hasn’t been exceptionally high, Shilts said.
“I just want to present a friendly face. I want to show that I’m out here putting in the work and just wishing them a good morning, telling them ‘thank you’ when they leave. You judge a person by how they treat you when they don’t have something to ask for, which in this case would be a vote,” he said. “We have a good crop of candidates and no matter what happens, we’ll have a good set of city council people.”
Todd Shuck, also a first-time candidate who works as a businessman and property developer, got to the voting center at 6 a.m. Shuck said he owed it to everyone who helped work on his campaign to show up to the polls himself, despite temperatures hovering in the 40s.
“I have a lot of friends and family that are rooting for me. I have a lot of people working for me today, so I would not leave them out there by themselves,” Shuck said. “My sister’s here. I got one of my daughters here. All three of my daughters are working today. My wife’s out here working.”
-Andy Bell-Baltaci
12:30 p.m. Clark Pleasant Library, Whiteland
New Whiteland Clerk-Treasurer Angela DeVoss is on the ballot for the first time, and this Election Day was also her son, Nole’s, first time voting.
She and her son shared this moment together as they cast their ballots for New Whiteland, which had no contested races in the Republican primary.
Nole DeVoss turned 18 in January and he looked forward to casting his first vote in an election for his mom. He also designed her campaign signs for her.
“It was really cool, and it was nice getting to vote for my mom. She’s worked hard,” Nole DeVoss said.
Angela DeVoss grew up learning from her grandmother about how important it is to vote, and she wanted to pass that wisdom along to her son, she said.
“My grandma, who lived in Whiteland, had always talked to me about the importance of voting, and she used to always work the polls,” Angela DeVoss said. “We would work in her gardens together and she would always talk about how important it was, and it is important to have a voice.”
– Emily Ketterer
11:45 a.m., Clark Pleasant Library, Whiteland
Voters have come in at a slow, but steady pace at the Clark Pleasant Library in Whiteland. Just before noon, 126 people had voted.
Among those was Greenwood resident Heather Baugh, who voted with her two young daughters. She showed them how the machine works and they all three got “I Voted” stickers.
Baugh said they have been talking about the election in Greenwood and researching candidates together. Her youngest daughter was excited in the days leading up to Election Day, asking when they get to go vote.
“We’ve talked about elected officials and how we find people with the same belief system as us, and try to get them into office so they can work on our behalf,” Baugh said.
Whiteland resident Todd Croy came by the library before heading back to work to cast his ballot. He voted to fulfill his civic duty as an American citizen, he said. Croy was full of energy walking into the polling place at the library, excited to cast his vote.
“Primaries are often overlooked and essential to me, that’s one of the most important votes we make because those put people in place for the ballot in November,” Croy said.
– Emily Ketterer
10:30 a.m., Trafalgar Public Library, Trafalgar
It’s been a slow morning at the Trafalgar Public Library, poll workers there say.
Voters have slowly trickled into the designated room in the library. Around 15 or so people had come to the library to vote by 10 a.m., they said. But probably a third of them have been turned away, so far.
Only people who live within the limits of a city or town in Johnson County have ballots in this election. Many people who came into the library to try to vote live outside of the Trafalgar town limits in unincorporated Johnson County, so they do not get to vote for the town council.
Poll workers on site have had to explain to people outside town limits that they don’t have a ballot. They tell them to come back next year, when there will be federal, state and county elections on the ballot.
People can check what is on their ballot by visiting indianavoters.in.gov.
– Emily Ketterer
9:45 a.m., Trafalgar Public Library, Trafalgar
Mother and son Teres and Evan Bingham have a tradition to vote together every election.
“We have always done that ever since he’s turned 18,” Teres Bingham said. “No matter what election it is, we always vote together.”
Both of them also know Trafalgar Town Council candidate Mike Peters, and wanted to support him, they said. He is Evan Bingham’s neighbor.
They said they care most about infrastructure, water and also growth in Trafalgar. Evan Bingham said he’d like to see someone new on the council with new ideas.
“I’d rather see someone new that really feels like they want to make changes and make the community better,” Evan Bingham said.
Teres Bingham said it is important to vote if people want to see change in town. She said she wants to see positive growth, such as new restaurants and businesses.
“We’ve stayed stagnant for a long time,” she said. “We do know Mike Peters, so we were kind of wanting a change. He’s been really good for the HOA and our community.”
– Emily Ketterer
9:05 a.m., White River Library, Greenwood
Voters continue to trickle into the White River Library Branch, but there’s no wait to vote.
Greenwood resident Jessica Schoolcraft came out to vote with her young son. Schoolcraft, who works in downtown Greenwood, was very motivated because of the candidates in the election, she said.
Schoolcraft was surprised there weren’t many people voting when she was at the polls. Primaries are important, she said.
“I hope that, come fall, that turns around,” she said.
More than 107 voters have voted at the White River branch so far, said Heather Overton, polling inspector.
– Noah Crenshaw
8:12 a.m., White River Library, Greenwood
In the little more than two hours polls have been open, the White River Library Branch has seen more than 60 voters.
Things have been going smoothly at the vote center so far, and poll workers are happy to see voters, said Heather Overton, polling inspector.
“We’re all pretty happy with how many voters are coming through,” Overton said. “Early elections were a little slower at some of the sites, so I think it’s going well.”
Voters have been positive, especially those who come in only to realize they live in an area that isn’t having a municipal election. This happens every municipal election, she said.
“They’ve just been like, ’Oh, thanks for telling me,’” Overton said. “…. That’s always going to happen in a municipal election and it’s been happening the average amount.”
– Noah Crenshaw
7:20 a.m., Greenwood Public Library, Greenwood
Friends Hillary Blatherwick and Olivia Hogan were among the voters who came out to vote during the first hour polls were open at the Greenwood Public Library.
The duo came out to vote because they were excited about things happening in Greenwood, they said.
“We wanted to support just the people who want to improve it and make it better,” Blatherwick said.
The voting process was amazing, quick and easy, Blatherwick and Hogan said.
GPL has had 60 voters so far this morning, poll workers at the site say.
– Noah Crenshaw
7:15 a.m., Greenwood Public Library, Greenwood
For Eloise Erikson, today’s election marks her second time as a poll worker.
Erikson first worked the polls during the November election last year. So far she enjoys being a poll worker, she said.
“It’s very interesting. I enjoy it,” she said.
After retiring from a 30-year career with the federal government, Erikson was looking for different ways to volunteer in the community. She ultimately landed on becoming a poll worker, she said.
Her favorite part is seeing the different people who come in and the way they approach poll workers.
“A lot of people say, ‘Thank you for working,’ so they know that we’re volunteering,” she said. “Well, we do get paid, but they do appreciate our volunteering.”
– Noah Crenshaw
6:59 a.m., Greenwood Public Library, Greenwood
Within an hour of polls opening, more than 40 voters had already cast their ballot at the Greenwood Public Library.
A line of 15 or so voters was waiting as the clock hit 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. Twenty or so minutes later, the line was gone and the number of voters had slowed down to just a few entering every few minutes or so.
This steadiness is what long-time poll inspector Chris Sifers is expecting to take place for most of the day. Because the library is located in downtown Greenwood, it is always steady, he said.
“We never ever leave a line but you always have steady people coming in,” Sifers said.
No problems have been reported at the site so far.
– Noah Crenshaw
