It’s an Election Day like no other as election officials and poll workers scramble to count a record number of mail-in ballots.
Election Day looks different this year across the state due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Local and state election officials urged Hoosiers to vote by mail, and most did. More than 11,000 Johnson County voters applied for absentee ballots—nearly 10 times more than the 1,200 who applied in the 2016 presidential primary.
Now, the countdown is on as local election officials hope to have all the county’s ballots counted by the end of the night, a feat that may not be accomplished in other nearby counties such as Marion, which could impact whether some local legislator races are called tonight.
Election workers are also tasked with keeping in-person voters safe today at the polls.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryWhat’s at stake
The Johnson County Clerk’s Office started counting absentee ballots at 6 a.m. today and plans to have all the ballots counted tonight, said Trena McLaughlin, county clerk. Indiana law prohibits processing mail-in ballots before Election Day, so votes can’t be counted until today even though a large number of ballots were received days before.
First, 20 canvassing board members will check signatures on each ballot, then count each ballot by running it through a machine, a time-consuming process that can take hours, said McLaughlin, who isn’t sure how long it will take to count thousands of ballots.
Because it will take longer to count absentee ballots, some races may not be called tonight, especially those that also encompass Marion County.
Election officials in Indianapolis have already said they plan to be counting the 120,000 ballots they’ve received days after Election Day. The state has given all counties until Friday to count absentee ballots, so races don’t have to be called tonight. A handful of races, including Indiana Senate District 36 and Indiana House District 93 represent both Johnson and Marion counties.
The races
Locally, six races are contested in the primary. Additionally, 51 Republican candidates across two districts are running to be delegates at the 2020 State Convention. Voters will select 32, 16 from each district.
One of the most contested races is for Indiana House District 58, which became open this year after Rep. Woody Burton announced his retirement. It is one of just eight seats in the House without an incumbent running for re-election, and five candidates are on the Republican ticket. Democrat Cindy Reinert is running uncontested.
State legislators author and vote on bills that come before the Indiana General Assembly and put together the state’s bi-annual budget.
As for county races, six Republicans are running for three seats on the Johnson County Council, the fiscal arm of the county which makes decisions about the budget, spending and proposed taxes. Incumbent Brian Baird’s District 1 seat on the Johnson County Board of Commissioners is once again contested by Daniel J. Chupp.
On the Democrat ballot, three candidates are taking a shot at House District 93, previously held by longtime representative David Frizzell, who retired in 2019. Republican incumbent Dollyne Sherman replaced him via caucus.
Lower turnout expected
McLaughlin broke tradition this election, saying she could not possibly predict voter turnout in this election given the circumstances.
About 2,000 voters cast in-person ballots during early voting, which could be a predictor for the overall turnout of in-person voters. By comparison, more than 12,000 people voted early during the 2016 presidential primary.
The lower turnout is likely due to the coronavirus crisis, with voters remaining cautious and voting by mail instead this year, McLaughlin said.
Another factor that may contribute to a lower turnout is the lack of options in the races for U.S. President. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are the only candidates still seeking nominations for the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively, although more names will appear on the ballots, she said. During the 2016 presidential primary, voters had their choice of four Republicans and three Democrats.
What’s different
The number of vote centers was more than cut in half due to the pandemic; 10 vote centers are open today, and registered voters in Johnson County can cast their ballots at any of them, regardless of where they live.
Social distancing will be enforced for those who do head out to the polls today.
Voters are instructed to stand in lines at least six feet apart, and tape markings are placed inside and outside of vote centers to show people where to stand. Additional poll workers will be tasked with making sure voters follow these guidelines at the polls, McLaughlin said.
Inside the vote centers, all poll workers are wearing masks, hand sanitizer stations are placed throughout the buildings and each voting machine will be disinfected after each use. Some vote centers will have separate entrances and exits. Voters are encouraged to wear masks, but they are not required. Masks will also be provided at the polls for those who need one.
Plastic sneeze-guards are set up 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 workers do not have to touch it. Voting shouldn’t take any longer than normal, even with extra precautions, McLaughlin said.
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Here is a look at where you can cast your ballot in person from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today:
Franklin Community Center, 396 Branigin Blvd., Franklin
Grace Assembly of God, 6822 N. U.S. 31, New Whiteland
Greenwood Christian Church, 2045 Averitt Road, Greenwood
Greenwood Public Library, 310 S. Meridian St., Greenwood
John R. Drybread Community Center, 100 E. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
Mt. Auburn Methodist Church, 3100 W. Stones Crossing Road, Greenwood
Mt Pleasant Christian Church, 381 N. Bluff Road, Greenwood
The Nest, 100 Byrd Way, Greenwood
Trafalgar Public Library, 424 S. Tower St., Trafalgar
White River Public Library, 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood
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Stay in the loop. Get the latest vote totals tonight on our website: dailyjournal.net.
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Let us know how voting goes for you. Lines wrapped around the building? Feel unsafe? End up at a vote center that’s closed this election? Call us at 317-736-2774 or email [email protected].
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