The Starke County Election Board advertised early and absentee voting hours, and then considered changing them the day before it’s supposed to start.
Following a vote at their last meeting to set the hours for voting prior to the primary election, Starke County Clerk Vicky Cooley brought a proposal to the board to reduce the number of hours early voting can take place.
Election Board member Peg Brettin says it was considered due to the number of voters.
“We actually will be open all the hours we really have anticipated having,” says Brettin.
Approval was given after plenty of consideration to keep the early voting hours the same as previously approved.
Reasons behind the proposal for reducing early voting hours includes historically lower voter turnout for primary elections compared with general elections.
Early and absentee voting hours will take place between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with a break over the Noon hour. Those times will be in effect starting Tuesday and take place at times through the Monday before Election Day.
The recommendation comes with a budget for what the election board believes the primary is going to cost the county government. Brettin says they’re confident in their budget projections.
“Hopefully the commissioners will understand what we looked at and also then Vicki [Cooley] can take that, the Clerk, can take that to them and say we just decided to keep it as our hours were first advertised,” says Brettin.
This year’s primary is expected to cost a hair over $36-thousand.
The election will be held on May 5th. City of Knox residents will vote in the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center.
