Starke County Clerk Reassures Voters, Offers Tips to Verify Information

 
 

The Starke County Clerk’s Office has not experienced any unusual problems with voting machines or registrations. Clerk Vicki Cooley wants to reassure local voters given the ongoing Indiana State Police investigation into possible fraudulent voter registration and concerns that systems may be hacked. Starke County does use electronic voting machines, but they are not connected to the internet. Additionally Cooley says vendor MicroVote is certified by the federal and state government.

She says the county also takes steps to make sure all registered voters are able to cast ballots. In-person absentee voting is going on now at the courthouse. Cooley says homebound voters and their caregivers can vote by travel board if they make arrangements through her office.

Additionally, all registered voters are urged to confirm their status by visiting www.indianavoters.com to make sure their information has not been compromised. Cooley says voters need to check the name under which they are registered, for instance “James” instead of “Jim.”

She adds there’s no cause for immediate panic if information cannot be located.

“Call up to our office and just even check to make sure the registration is here, because possibly maybe a letter could have got transposed or something very minor.”

Cooley says the best way to prevent problems is to vote during the absentee period, as that provides more time to fix potential problems.

“And immediately say something if something’s wrong. Because you’ve got two people in there that are working that will answer your questions, and more than likely it’s a question they can answer.”

Cooley also urges voters to take their time and review each page before hitting the button to submit their vote.

Absentee voting at the Starke County Courthouse continues through Monday, Nov. 7 at noon. All prospective voters must reside in Starke County and have a government issued photo ID. Construction is ongoing at the courthouse, so prospective voters are asked to use the west (handicap) entrance, which faces the Moose Lodge. Look for the “Vote Here” sign. Cooley adds that door will be open during all absentee hours.

Absentee voting information can be found here.

Visit who are your elected officials and 2016 Candidate Information Summary for more information.

If you prefer to vote on Election Day, here is a list of Starke County polling places. Find yours here. Contact the Starke County Clerk’s Office at 574-772-9160 or electionmail@co.starke.in.us for more information. Their mailing address is: Starke County Election,  P.O. Box 395, Knox, IN 46534