Check another item off the list for changing Marshall County into a vote center county.
The idea is to reduce the number of polling sites, but to allow registered voters to cast the proper ballot from any of the locations based on a state identification. Marshall County has already purchased e-poll books to aid in the process.
Clerk Debbie Vandemark says this should save on costs and improve efficiency.
“Well that’s the goal, it’s to make it easier for voters to vote,” says Vandemark. “If they’re leaving early in the morning to go to their place of work and there’s a vote center in their area, they can go there and vote.”
The Marshall County Election Board has already given their approval to the project, as have the two major party heads. The County Council on Monday, approved a resolution giving their consent to move ahead with the project.
Now, the Clerk’s office and the Election Board will turn their attention to developing a plan to implement the process. Selecting polling sites, back-up plans, and training workers remains part of those efforts.
Back-up plans was a primary concern for one council member who questioned what to do in the event of a power loss. Vandemark says they had to be on their feet when a power outage was reported in Culver during November’s election.
“Having a back-up plan is really important on Election Day because the election needs to continue to go on if we have a power outage,” says Vandemark.
The resolution now goes to the Commissioners for final approval this coming Monday.
Vote centers have been piloted in other Indiana counties with notable success. Marshall County is up against a 60 day deadline prior to the primary election to have their vote center model approved by the state. If they miss the deadline, November’s General Election will be the first attempt.
