The Marshall County Election Board members may move two Vote Center locations.
Clerk Deb VanDeMark commented during the board’s meeting last week that there has been a request to move the Vote Center out of the Culver Depot. She explained that there haven’t been any technical or problems with that Vote Center location, but scheduling of events there have created somewhat of an issue.
“The law is that we need to have two Saturdays before Election Day at a location that is currently a Vote Center location,” said VanDeMark. “We have to vote at the Depot if we have Culver vote on those Saturdays. The Culver Depot is very busy on Saturdays with events. They use the building for a lot of different things. There may be times when it may or may not be available.”
Election Board President Sean Surrisi said there was an issue during the last election which made things a little difficult.
VanDeMark said that an offer has been made to visit the Culver Community Schools’ Administration Building to determine if that site would be eligible to be deemed a Vote Center. The board members agreed to make a trip to that location and make a decision concerning that Vote Center.
VanDeMark also suggested the possibility of shutting down the Tippecanoe Township Vote Center due to a low voter turnout and struggles to find poll workers at that site, but Board Member Rick Huff did not agree with that. He asked that whatever the issues are at that location that they be made right. He added that he wants to be sure that it is open for voters who do utilize that location.
Meanwhile, if the board wants to continue with a Vote Center in Bremen on Saturdays, they will have to decide on a location whether it be the Bremen School or at a church.
One specific thing that the board will have to pay attention to is security.
No decisions were made last week. More discussion will be held in future board meetings.
