Johnson County has set an early voting record and could be on the way to a record-breaking general election turnout.
A total of 125,246 Johnson County residents are registered and eligible to vote in Tuesday’s election. For this election, 50,770 people cast their vote through in-person early voting by close of early voting at noon Monday, said Trena McLaughlin, Johnson County Clerk. There was a steady line at the courthouse throughout the day, with voters waiting in line to vote well past the noon deadline.
The early voting numbers for this election surpass numbers from both the 2020 and 2016 elections. In 2020, 48,288 people voted early, while nearly 35,000 people voted early in 2016, records show.
So far, Johnson County has seen a turnout of more than 40.5%, data shows.
This number does not include mail-in absentee ballots, which are counted on Election Day. Election officials mailed 5,285 ballots to approved applicants and have received 4,819, or 91.2%, back, McLaughlin said.
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Election Day, thousands more voters will cast ballots for Republican and Democratic candidates seeking office on nearly all levels — federal, state, county and even a municipal office. Voters in both parties have contested races and uncontested offices on their ballots.
With turnout already high, McLaughlin expected another 40% of voters to turn out before Election Day is over, she said. This would put turnout at around 80% — setting a new record.
Presidential election years typically have higher than normal turnout, which could lead to longer lines on Election Day. The last presidential election in 2020 saw a turnout of 70.3% — the highest on record — despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2016 primary saw a turnout of 63%, nearly shattering the record of 64% during the 2008 election, data shows.
Contested offices
Federal offices up are the U.S. president and vice president, U.S. senator and U.S. representative for District 6. State offices include governor and lieutenant governor, and for Johnson County specifically, there are four state representatives and three state senators up for election.
County offices include coroner, surveyor, treasurer, county commissioners for Districts 1 and 3, three county council at-large seats and judges for Circuit Court and Superior Court 1. The town of Prince’s Lakes has two at-large town council seats up this year, as a result of a change that staggered terms for the five-member council. All six public school district boards also have seats on the ballot.
There is also a constitutional amendment asking voters to remove the now-abolished state superintendent of public instruction position from the gubernatorial line of succession. Judicial retention questions for three Indiana Supreme Court and two Indiana Court of Appeals judges are also on ballots.
All federal offices are contested, as are all statewide offices. Three of Johnson County’s state representatives are contested, as are three state senators.
On the county level, Superior Court 1 judge, District 3 county commissioner and county council at-large are contested. Two candidates, a Democrat and a Republican, are seeking the judgeship and commissioner seat each. Three Democrats and three Republicans are vying for the three county council seats.
Four county school boards have at least one contested race too. Five are vying for two at-large seats on the Center Grove School Board; two are vying for one Franklin Township seat and four are vying for two city of Franklin seats on the Franklin Community School Board; two are vying for one District 3 seat on the Greenwood school board; and two are vying for one Nineveh Township seat and three are vying for two at-large seats on the Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson School Board.
While two candidates can be selected for the two at-large seats on the NHJ board, they both cannot be from the same township. Only one candidate from each township is allowed on the board.
There also is one local write-in option: Scott Setser for the Pleasant Township seat on the Clark-Pleasant Community School Board. Voters who vote for this office and plan to choose Setser will have to type in his name on the voting machine.
Additionally, while voters will be able to write in names for this seat, only approved write-in candidates will be accepted, per Indiana law. Setser is the only candidate for the seat since incumbent Dave Thompson died earlier this year.
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Security preparations
Ahead of Election Day, McLaughlin says election officials and local law enforcement are prepared if any issues do arise.
Security has become a concern in several states amid heightened tensions across much of the country. Findings from a recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show that about 4 in 10 registered voters say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about violent attempts to overturn the results after the November election, according to the AP. A similar share is worried about legal efforts to do so. And about 1 in 3 voters say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about attempts by local or state election officials to stop the results from being finalized.
Several states and counties have ramped up security ahead of the election, an effort designed to ensure residents feel safe voting and to prepare for any incidents that could occur.
In Bartholomew County, for instance, the clerk’s office there has been working with law enforcement to ensure safety. While local law enforcement agencies there have not relieved any specific threats to polling places, they do plan to have extra patrols, The (Columbus) Republic reported.
Johnson County is taking a similar route, with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies planning extra patrols around vote centers, McLaughlin said.
“We’re always watching and we’re prepared if we need to should any issues arise,” she said.
Ready for voters
Nineteen locations — churches, libraries and government buildings — will house vote centers Tuesday. Three locations — Mt. Pleasant Christian Church, Grace Assembly of God and Scott Hall at the Johnson County Fairgrounds — will feature two vote centers at the same location, making for a total of 22 vote centers. Johnson County voters can use any vote center in the county.
McLaughlin does expect lines on Tuesday, so voters should be prepared to be patient, she said.
“At some of our busier locations, if there are long lines, [voters] might call our office. We can direct them to where there’s going to maybe be some not as long lines,” McLaughlin said.
Voters who have not voted in the last few elections will see modified voting machines, which are now placed in new, larger cases that contain the machines and verified paper audit trail systems, or VVPATs. The change is designed to make it simpler for poll workers to assemble them at voting centers.
Voters must remember to bring their state-issued driver’s license or ID, or another form of acceptable identification. These other forms include passports, military IDs or an ID from a state-funded college, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office.
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles locations will be open to issue a voter ID for anyone who doesn’t have one, according to the agency. The BMV will have extended hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday.
First-time voters who have not previously voted in Indiana will have to provide additional residence documentation to Johnson County Voter Registration prior to voting to verify their residence. This is a result of a new state law.
This document can be a current and valid photo identification card; or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address — at the address shown on your registration.
These identification documents can be submitted in person to Johnson County Voter Registration at the courthouse, or at the polls no later than the close of polls on Election Day: 6 p.m. More information about this can be found at in.gov/sos/elections and clicking on the “Voter Information” and “Voter Rights” tabs.
Poll workers and election officials are also there to assist voters, if needed.
“We have a lot of poll workers working from both parties, and they’re there to assist in any way that they can,” she said. “But if there are any issues that arise, please call our office,” McLaughlin said.
Johnson County Voter Registration can be reached at 317-346-4467.
WHERE TO VOTE
Here is a look at approved Johnson County Election Day vote centers. Voters can vote from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday:
» Mt. Auburn Methodist Church, 3100 W. Stones Crossing Road, Greenwood
» Mt. Pleasant Christian Church, 381 N. Bluff Road, Greenwood (Two vote centers)
» White River Public Library, 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood
» White River Township Trustee’s Office, 2929 S. Morgantown Road, Greenwood
» Community Church of Greenwood (main entrance foyer), 1477 W. Main St., Greenwood
» Greenwood Christian Church, 2045 Averitt Road, Greenwood
» Greenwood Public Library (east door), 310 S. Meridian St., Greenwood
» Greenwood Bible Baptist Church, 1461 Sheek Road, Greenwood
» Rocklane Christian Church, 4430 Rocklane Road, Greenwood
» Grace Assembly of God, 6822 N. U.S. Highway 31, New Whiteland (Two vote centers)
» Clark Pleasant Public Library, 350 Clearwater Blvd., Whiteland
» Bargersville Town Hall, 24 N. Main St., Bargersville
» Franklin Parks & Recreation Center, 396 Branigin Blvd./State St., Franklin
» Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin
» Amity Volunteer Fire Department, 3247 S. County Road 550 E., Franklin
» Trafalgar Public Library, 424 S. Tower St., Trafalgar
» Prince’s Lakes Town Hall, 14 E. Lakeview Drive, Nineveh
» John R. Drybread Community Center, 100 E. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
» Scott Hall, Johnson County Fairgrounds, 250 Fairground St., Franklin (Two vote centers)
Source: Johnson County Voter Registration
ELECTION CENTRAL
Stay in the loop. Get the latest vote totals Tuesday on our website: dailyjournal.net.
Need to know more about the candidates in this year’s election? Go online to dailyjournal.net/local/elections or check out our voter guide at shorturl.at/2otJV.
TELL US YOUR STORY
Let us know how voting goes for you. Lines wrapped around the building? Didn’t have the correct ID? End up at a vote center that’s closed this election? Call us at 317-736-2774 or email [email protected].
