The Starke County Election Board has adjusted its early voting schedule for the June primary, to bring it in line with the condensed schedule set by the state.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Finalizes Early Voting Schedule
In-Person Voting to Be Offered for June Primary but Hoosiers Encouraged to Vote by Mail
In-person voting will be available for the June 2 primary election, but the opportunity to vote early in-person will be cut back to just a few days. During a press conference Thursday, Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced that early voting will only take place from May 26 to June 1, ahead of Election Day voting on June 2.
Continue readingIndiana May Consider Holding Primary Election Entirely by Mail-In Ballot
The COVID-19 pandemic has left plans for this year’s primary election still up in the air. The Starke County Election Board has come up with a plan to combine polling places due to the public health emergency. But Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel says she’s hesitant to publicize it, since there’s a chance the state may do away with in-person voting entirely for the primary and require residents to vote by mail.
Continue readingHarrison Fields Resigns from Starke County Election Board
Harrison Fields recently submitted his resignation as a member of the Starke County Election Board.
Continue readingStarke County Polling Sites Combined for June Primary Election
The polling sites typically used in an election in Starke County will be combined for in-person voting in the Primary Election on June 2.
Continue readingStarke County Voters to Use Precinct Polling Places for May Primary Election
The Starke County Election Board members made a change to early voting in the Vote Center Plan Wednesday afternoon, but the entire plan again failed to pass with a 2-1 vote.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Hears Evidence on Challenge of County Treasurer Candidate
The Starke County Election Board members heard a challenge Wednesday morning from Tom DeCola about the candidacy of Lauri Anne Manns Venckus as a Republican candidate for Starke County Treasurer on the May Primary ballot.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Hears Challenge over Tom DeCola’s Candidacy for Treasurer
The Starke County Election Board heard evidence from witnesses Wednesday morning challenging the address of residency of Tom DeCola as it appears on his candidacy paperwork as a Republican candidate for Starke County Treasurer.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Forms Vote Center Study Committee
Efforts to bring vote centers to Starke County continue. A proposed vote center plan failed to get the required unanimous vote from the county election board on four separate occasions. But there’s still a chance a plan could be implemented in time for the May primary, according to Deputy Clerk Colleen Hodge.
Continue readingStarke 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.
Continue readingNorth Judson Town Council Discusses Potential Change to Election Cycle
A bill for almost $11,000 has prompted the North Judson Town Council to consider changing the town’s election cycle. The bill for last November’s town election was eventually forgiven by the Starke County Council, but during Monday’s town council meeting, Council Member Josh Brown said the county might not be willing to do that in the future.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Fails to Approve Vote Center Plan
Vote centers will not be coming to Starke County in the near future. The vote center plan failed to get the required unanimous vote during the election board’s fourth attempt Wednesday.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Makes Members’ Pay Contingent on Switch to Vote Centers
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.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Meet Today
The Starke County Election Board members will attempt to vote on the Vote Center plan for the third time today.
The Vote Center Plan would move the county from the current status of precinct polling sites to Vote Center sites. The move to a Vote Center county would allow any eligible voter the chance to vote at any of the seven Vote Centers proposed in the draft plan. They would be located at 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.
The Koontz Lake Association Building and the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library are two proposed sites for early voting. They would be open Monday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from noon to 6 p.m., Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel noted that the only thing that needs to be decided is which site will be open during which of the two weeks prior to Election Day.
Past meetings have shown an overwhelming positive public response to the change to Vote Centers, but the Vote Center Plan has failed twice to gather a unanimous vote by the Starke County Election Board. A third vote is planned today.
The Starke County Election Board will meet at 9:30 a.m. today in the ground floor meeting room in the Starke County Annex No. 1 Building at 53 E. Mound Street in Knox.
Starke County Election Board Updated on Legislative Topics
Starke County Clerk Bernadette Welter Manuel updated the Starke County Election Board members Wednesday morning on topics related to elections in the state legislature.
Continue readingStarke County Vote Center Plan Fails to Advance
For the second time, the proposed Vote Center Plan for Starke County failed to advance.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Meet Today
A vote on the Vote Center plan is anticipated this morning during the Starke County Election Board’s meeting.
Continue readingPulaski County Election Board Members Voicing Support for Starke County Vote Center Plan
As the Starke County Election Board prepares to take another vote on a switch to vote centers, Pulaski County Election Board members plan to weigh in. The Starke County Election Board is expected to vote on its vote center plan next Wednesday, after it failed to get a unanimous vote during last week’s meeting.
Continue readingStarke County Draft Vote Center Plan Misses Unanimous Vote
The Starke County Election Board members opened a public hearing Wednesday morning to hear comments concerning a possible switch to Vote Centers with a vote on a draft plan later in the meeting.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Vote Today on Proposed Vote Center Plan
The Starke County Election Board members are expected to vote on the proposed Vote Center Plan in a meeting this morning at the Starke County Courthouse.
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