Starke County Election Board Member Questions Board’s Authority to Cut Its Own Pay

The Starke County Election Board’s authority to withhold its own pay is being questioned by one of its members. On Monday, the board voted two-to-one not to pay its members for 2020, if the board failed to approve a vote center plan to keep this year’s elections on-budget. Board Member Harrison Fields cast the opposing vote.

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Starke County Election Board Makes Members’ Pay Contingent on Switch to Vote Centers

Starke County Election Board Member Harrison Fields (right) voices concern with the meeting notice he received from Board President Marcia Bedrock (left), during Monday’s board meeting.

The Starke County Election Board will make a fourth attempt at approving a vote center plan. It once again failed to get the required unanimous vote during a special meeting Monday. Board Member Harrison Fields again cast the opposing vote.

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Starke County Election Board Reviews Vote Center Survey Results

The Starke County Election Board continues to see support for a proposed switch to vote centers. Last week, board members reviewed the results of a survey taken during this month’s town hall meetings in Knox and North Judson. Of the 27 surveys completed, only two respondents felt the change would not be a positive move for Starke County to pursue. Multiple residents specifically liked the convenience that vote centers could provide.

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Starke Election Board Member Says Poll Workers Threatening to Quit over Lack of Meals

Meal changes could lead to a shortage in poll workers, warns Starke County Election Board Member Harrison Fields. “I’ve been talking to some of these poll workers,” he told the rest of the election board Wednesday. “We’re going to be faced with a major problem come next spring because every one of these poll workers that worked in the past told me personally they refuse to work because the council changed the meal situation. None of these poll workers that worked in the past – not one – told me they will work in the spring because of that issue.”

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Starke County Election Board Considers Potential Vote Center Locations

A list of potential vote center locations was presented to the Starke County Election Board Wednesday. Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel’s proposal calls for seven vote centers. They would be located at the Koontz Lake Property Owners Association Building, the Washington Township Community Building, the Hamlet Fire Station, the Bass Lake Fire Station, and the North Judson Fire Station. Welter-Manuel presented some options for the Knox and San Pierre vote centers.

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