GREENFIELD — Voters who waited in line for an hour or more to cast their ballots in June’s primary election may be relieved to hear that for the general election in November, twice as many Hancock County polling places will be available.
A vote center schedule including eight locations throughout the county for the Nov. 3 election was approved by the Hancock County Election Board on Thursday, Aug. 20. Five vote centers will be open for in-person early voting for various lengths of time.
The primary election in Hancock County was characterized by long lines made longer by the observation of social distancing. Though mail-in ballots were available to voters, many local voters chose to vote in person on Election Day. That meant polls were forced to stay open well past the 6 p.m. deadline and election results were delayed hours.
Election officials and party leaders admitted it is difficult to predict what the general election will look like.
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“No one knows what it is going to be or what the early voting is going to be like,” said Janice Silvey, chair of the Hancock County Republican Party.
No Democrats or independents filled for county office, so local elections were decided in the Republican primary and are now unopposed. With a presidential election on the ticket, as well as the Indiana governor’s race, however, voter interest will likely be high.
It will also likely look different from the primary election held in June, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and gave every voter the option of casting a ballot through the mail.
The eight polling places available on Nov. 3 will include the Hancock County Courthouse Annex; the main and Sugar Creek branches of the Hancock County Public Library; Fortville Community Center; the Buck Creek Township Fire Department; NineStar Connect North; Nameless Creek Camp and Event Center; and Wilkinson Christian Church.
Five locations will be open for early voting for various lengths of time. The Hancock County Courthouse Annex will open on Oct. 6 for in-person voting and will continue to be open at least five days a week through Oct. 30.
In 2016, 66.81% of registered voters in Hancock County participated in the general election, including those who voted early and through mail-in ballots.
The county is required to have one voting center open on Election Day for every 10,000 registered voters. Eight locations is still fewer than the number open during a typical election, in which 12 are provided.
Hancock County Clerk Lisa Lofgreen said opening a higher number of locations necessitates more poll workers, who may be in shorter supply this year; many of the regular poll workers are retired, and older people are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
To staff early-voting and Election Day locations, the leaders of the local Republican and Democratic parties will need to recruit a total of 24 poll workers each for Election Day, and two each will be needed at each location every day of early voting. Both Silvey and Democratic Party chair Randy Johnson said they are confident they can do that.
“Sanitizers” will also be paid to wipe down surfaces and keep high-touch areas clean at the vote centers. In the primary election, these services were provided by students.
Mail-in voting is likely to be at a higher level than usual this year. As of Thursday, the Election Office had received approximately 1,500 applications for mail-in ballots.
However, Indiana is not among the 42 states that will allow any voter to vote by mail. Hoosiers hoping to do so will still have to provide one of a number of excuses accepted in a typical election year. Those include being over age 65; being confined to your home due to illness; or being out of the state on Election Day, among others.
Johnson said he had been hoping the state would allow no-excuse absentee ballots.
“I think it’s one of those situations where it doesn’t matter what your politics are, your health is important,” he said.
The addition of Nameless Creek camp as a polling place, for the first time in decades, addresses a concern both Johnson and Silvey raised before the meeting about a lack of polling places available in the eastern part of Hancock County.
Jeannine Lee Lake, the Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 6th District congressional seat, criticized Gov. Eric Holcomb’s administration for not making mail-in balloting available to everyone.
“I think this administration is doing everything they possibly can to shut down voting,” Lake said.
While many people have returned to work or other aspects of their lives, Lake said, many voters continue to stay at home or are limiting their interactions with other people.
“A lot of people are scared of getting COVID. They don’t want to go out, and they shouldn’t have to,” said Lake, who is challenging incumbent Rep. Greg Pence.
State Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, said he believed the general election would run smoothly without the option of no-excuse mail-in ballots.
“I trust the professionals who work in that area to make the right decisions,” said Crider, who is running for a third term against Democrat Theresa Bruno.
State Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, said he did not think mail-in voting was a good option.
“If you would win the lottery, would you mail the ticket in (to redeem it) or would you go in person?” he asked.
Cherry said he hopes more voters will take advantage of in-person early voting rather than waiting for Nov. 3. All voters are eligible to choose this option.
“Election Day is not just one day. It’s 28 days,” he said.
The deadline to register to vote in Indiana is Oct. 5. Applications to vote by mail must be submitted by Oct. 22.
Early in-person voting will begin Oct. 6 and continue through Nov. 2. A valid photo ID is required to vote in person both early and on Election Day.
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If you wish to vote by mail in the 2020 general election, you must go to indianavoters.gov and fill out an application including a recognized “excuse” for not voting in person. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 22.
You will receive your ballot by mail and can either return it by mail or by taking it to the Hancock County Election Office during business hours.
Valid reasons for requesting a mail-in ballot include:
-You will be absent from the county on Election Day during all hours that polls are open
-You are confined to your residence, a health care facility or a hospital due to illness or injury
-You are caring for someone confined to a private residence due to illness or injury
-You are a voter with disabilities
-You are at least 65 years old
-You have official election duties outside your own voting precinct
-You are scheduled to work during the entire period polls are open on Election Day
-You are unable to vote in person due to observance of a religious discipline or holiday
-You are a member of the military or a public safety officer
-Your voter registration lists an incorrect address, but you are eligible to vote under “fail-safe” statutes
-You are a serious sex offender
-You are unable to access transportation to the polls
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Early voting
Hancock County Annex — 111 American Legion Place, Greenfield
Weekdays, Oct. 6-30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m. to noon
Hancock County Public Library — 900 W. McKenzie Rd., Greenfield; and 5731 U.S. 52, New Palestine
Weekdays, Oct. 19-30, 2-7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Nov. 1, 1-4 p.m.
Fortville Community Center (400 W. Church St., Fortville); and Buck Creek Township Fire Department (5809 W. Airport Blvd., Greenfield)
Weekdays, Oct. 19-30, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Nov. 1, 1-4 p.m.
All of the above locations will be open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. These vote centers also will be open on Election Day:
-NineStar Connect North, 2331 E. County Road 600N, Greenfield
-Nameless Creek Camp and Event Center, 2675 S. County Road 600E, Greenfield
-Wilkinson Christian Church, 7293 State Road 109, Wilkinson
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