Johnson County Election Board OKs vote center plan, adds early voting site

July 17, 2024

133461559_web1_20240410dj-early-voting-4 — Poll worker Fred Hamilton, right, helps Bargersville resident Nick Strange access the ballot during primary election early voting on April 9, at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Daily Journal File Photo

Johnson County voters can vote this fall at nearly all the same places they did during the primary election.

Nineteen locations will again be used as vote centers on Election Day, Nov. 5. Three locations — Mt. Pleasant Christian Church, Grace Assembly of God and Scott Hall at the Johnson County Fairgrounds — will again feature two vote centers at the same location, making for a total of 22, according to the amended vote center plan unanimously adopted Wednesday by the three-member Johnson County Election Board.

At the doubled-up locations, the vote centers will be spaced apart from each other. Each site the dual centers will have the same amount of staffing and machines, officials previously said.

All of the vote center sites have been used in past elections. Last year’s municipal election saw a decrease in vote centers due to the lack of a county-wide election and expected lower turnout.

The only change to the plan from the spring is the addition of one early voting site: the Clark Pleasant branch of the Johnson County Public Library. This will make for a total of six sites for satellite early voting in October, in addition to the Johnson County Courthouse.

Early voting will begin at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Johnson County Courthouse, with the courthouse open Monday to Friday for the first two weeks. Starting Oct. 26, the courthouse will be open on Saturdays for two weekends, with early voting coming to an end at noon, Monday, Nov. 4.

Six satellite voting centers will open the week of Oct. 21, for two weeks: the Franklin Parks and Recreation Center, the John R. Drybread Community Center, and the Clark Pleasant, White River, Trafalgar and Greenwood libraries. These locations will also be open for two Saturdays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, before closing at 3 p.m. Nov. 2.

Three senior living community vote centers will be open from Oct. 28 to 30 for one day each. In order of opening, they are Greenwood Village South, Otterbein SeniorLife and Compass Park. These are the same centers that have been used in past elections.

The number of vote centers is similar to what was seen in the 2020 general election, which had six early voting and 21 Election Day sites.

Presidential election years, like 2024, typically see large voter turnout. The 2020 general election, while affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, saw a record-shattering turnout of 70.3% and the 2016 general election saw a turnout of 63%, election records show.

However, Johnson County saw record low turnout in this year’s primary elections with 16.2% of registered voters coming out to the polls. This was the lowest since 2000, which saw a turnout of 16%.

The deadline to register to vote in this year’s general election, or to update a voter’s registration, is Oct. 7. Prospective voters can register online at indianavoters.in.gov by midnight Oct. 7, or in person at Johnson County Voter Registration, located in the basement of the Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, by the end of business at 4:30 p.m.

People can also do so at the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, but officials encourage them to check with Johnson County Voter Registration to ensure their information was sent over properly after doing so.

WHERE TO VOTE EARLY

Here is a look at when and where you can cast your ballot early. Early voting runs from Oct. 8 to Nov. 4:

Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin

» 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 8-11; Oct. 14-18; Oct. 21-25; Oct. 28-Nov. 1