On behalf of the Starke County Election Board, Starke County Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel presented a draft Vote Center Plan to the public during Monday night’s joint Starke County Council and Commissioners meeting.
The plan, which is accessible at the clerk’s office in the Starke County Courthouse and the Auditor’s Office in the Starke County Annex No. 1 building in Knox, outlines voter statistics and precincts; Vote Center and satellite Vote Center locations; the Vote Center flow chart; poll workers and procedures for Election Day; dates, locations and hours of operation; equipment and technology; a security plan; emergency response; Starke County precinct data; and election results.
According to the plan, there would be seven Vote Center locations at the Koontz Lake Property Owners Building, Hamlet Fire James R. Hardesty Community Building, Washington Township Community Building, Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox, North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department, San Pierre Fire Department, and the Bass Lake-California Township Fire Department on Election Day. Any eligible Starke County voter can vote at any location on Election Day.
Voters will sign an ePollbook upon arrival at the Vote Center in order to cast a ballot, which will also be used with in-person absentee voting, Travel Board voting, and at each Satellite voting location. Satellite voting locations will be at the Koontz Lake Property Owners Association Building and the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library two Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays prior to Election Day.
Absentee voting will be offered 28 days prior to Election Day.
The draft plan is up for public comment until Jan. 2. Written comments may be produced and filed with the Clerk’s Office or Election Board. Comment forms are available at the clerk’s office and will soon be available on the county’s website at co.starke.in.us. Verbal comments are welcome during the next Starke County Election Board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 9:30 a.m. in the second floor conference room in the Starke County Courthouse.
