While many residents chose to vote by mail in this primary, some made their way to the courthouse to cast a ballot in person on Tuesday, the first day of early voting.
Early voting in Johnson County kicked off Tuesday morning, exactly a week before this year’s delayed primary election. The turnout was lighter than usual, election officials said. Still, voters streamed in gradually throughout the day. About 70 people voted between 8:30 a.m. and noon Tuesday. During the last presidential primary in 2016, more than 11,000 people voted early in Johnson County, granted they had more time to do so. Typically, early voting is available for two weeks to a month ahead of Election Day. But this election, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Johnson County Election Board decided to dial it back to just one week and fewer locations.
“I think it’s a little lower than normal, but we’ve mailed out over 11,000 ballots,” said Trena McLaughlin, county clerk.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryCounty and state election officials encouraged residents to vote by mail this year due to the ongoing pandemic. The Johnson County Clerk’s Office has already received five times the number of absentee ballots than it did during the 2016 primary election, McLaughlin said.
Since the Friday deadline to apply to vote by mail, staff in the county’s voter registration office mailed out more than 11,000 absentee ballots, and more than 5,000 have been returned so far. It is a significant jump compared to the 1,200 voters who applied to vote by mail in the 2016 primary, McLaughlin said.
But voting by mail isn’t the best option for some, including Joseph Corliss. Corliss always votes early with his brother, Vincent Corliss, and their mother, he said. Voting in person was the best option for his family because he has to assist his mother and Vincent, who has Alzheimer’s.
“It’s easier to assist them in-person instead of on a mail-in ballot,” Joseph Corliss said. “And truthfully, we don’t like mail voting because it could be manipulated.”
He felt “extremely” safe voting in person at the courthouse, and wasn’t bothered by the extra precautions, he said.
There are several hand sanitizer stations, the machines are disinfected after each use and all the poll workers wear masks. There are also tape marks on the floor to indicate where voters should stand in line while waiting to check in, ensuring recommended social distancing is at play.
“It’s a changing world and we have to make these changes and do our best to get on with it,” Corliss said.
Other safety precautions include plastic sneeze-guards at the check-in tables, keeping voters and poll workers safe, and voters have to place their own IDs in the electronic pollbook holder when checking in so the workers do not have to touch it, McLaughlin said. Masks are not required to enter, but are recommended, she said.
“We are doing everything we can to keep the voters safe and the poll workers safe,” she said.
Many who cast their ballots in person Tuesday said they felt their vote was more secured than if they mailed in a ballot. Kelle Pitrelli chose to vote early in person because it is a tradition of hers, and she does not trust the postal system since several of her daughter’s wedding invitations were lost in the mail.
She said people should still vote, especially right now.
“There’s a lot going on right now and we need leaders. We need good leaders,” Pitrelli said.
The difference between voting by mail or in person is minimal, McLaughlin said. A bipartisan board reviews each absentee ballot and carefully assesses the voter’s signature on the envelope provided to make sure the vote is not fraudulent or tampered with, she said.
“I don’t feel like there is any difference in security only that your vote on the machine is counted right then and there,” McLaughlin said.
There is, however, always a chance of ballots getting lost in the mail, McLaughlin said. She communicates with the United State Postal Service before every election, and has been reassured that the post offices handle election ballots carefully, she said.
“They have been very good at making sure those brown envelopes get put in our post office boxes immediately,” McLaughlin said.
Cheryl and Dan Greene always vote early because it’s their duty, and they weren’t about to let the pandemic stop them, they said.
“I’d rather come in and do it instead of having to write and send it in,” Dan Greene said.
For voters Barbara and Terry Pavlack, voting early at the courthouse is also a tradition for them. Besides, they missed the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot, they said.
“It’s important we vote … everything is a big mess these days, and such changes in this country are amazing in just four years,” Barbara Pavlack said.
Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess was among the early voting crowd Tuesday at the courthouse. It’s a tradition for him to vote early in elections because he’s usually busy on Election Day, he said.
“I voted absentee before but that was because I was out of town … I just prefer to do it in person,” Burgess said.
Early voting at the courthouse will continue through noon Monday, with two more early voting locations open Thursday through Saturday. Election Day is Tuesday.
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Here is a look at how many Johnson County voters requested and cast absentee ballots this year compared to the last presidential primary:
2020 Primary Election
11,484 absentee ballots mailed out
5,401 absentee ballots received since Friday
2016 Primary Election
1,243 absentee ballots mailed out
1,028 absentee ballots received
Source: Johnson County Voter Registration
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Here is a look at when and where you can cast your ballot early:
Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
Today through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, 8:30 a.m. to noon
Greenwood Public Library, 310 S. Meridian St., Greenwood
Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
White River Public Library, 1664 Library Blvd, Greenwood
Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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