The Starke County Commissioners and the Starke County Election Board members Monday night discussed a location for early voting for the May Primary Municipal Election in the Starke County Courthouse.
Currently, a construction crew is in the process of replacing the elevator in the Starke County Courthouse which affects the location of early voting. It is typically held in the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse, but due to the construction, it must move.
When the second floor meeting room is unable to be used, the Election Board usually moves to a room on the first floor of the courthouse. However, that room is currently being used for the storage of equipment and tools used by the contractors working on the elevator.
Last week, the Starke County Election Board expressed their frustration over the contractors’ use of the room instead of having it available for voters. Election Board President Peg Brettin said she looked into other places in the City of Knox but none of the places were secure enough to hold early voting. They decided to take the issue to the Starke County Commissioners.
During Monday night’s meeting, the commissioners offered to give up the commissioners’ room, which is a smaller room on the first floor of the courthouse, to accommodate the voters. Brettin said they will make the smaller space work for early voting. It was unanimously approved by the commissioners.
If a voter wants to vote absentee, Brettin encourages voters to ask for a mail-in absentee ballot if they are uncomfortable voting in a smaller room. A voter might also qualify for a Travel Board ballot. Call the Starke County Voter Registration number at 574-772-9160 for more information.
Brettin also noted that wherever the early voting location is for the Primary Election, it must remain there for the General Election in November. Brettin said she will discuss that with the Indiana Election Division to see if it can be moved back to the second floor meeting room in November.
