The Starke County Election Board members considered resolutions for poll worker hours during absentee voting hours at the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library and the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse, but not before a lengthy discussion about offering a time for lunch during a meeting Thursday afternoon.
Continue readingHamlet Council Joins Starke County Election Board in Calling Off Town Election
The Hamlet Town Council has officially voted not to hold a town election this year, due to a lack of contested races. The only candidates to run were the current office-holders: Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts and town council members Connie Bailey, Brian Earnest, and Dave Kesvormas.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Schedules Informational Meetings on Vote Centers
Starke County voters have a few chances to learn about a potential switch to vote centers. The first town-hall-style meeting will be held Wednesday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Washington Township Community Building. Additional meetings are tentatively scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on October 9 at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox and October 10 at a location still to be determined in North Judson.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Hold Public Voting Machine Test Later this Month
The Starke County Election Board continues preparing for the upcoming North Judson election. The public test of the voting machines will take place Thursday, September 26 at 9:00 a.m. in the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Sets Early Voting Hours for North Judson Election
Early voting hours for North Judson’s General Election were finalized by the Starke County Election Board Thursday.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Finalize Early Voting Hours, Location
Early voting hours for North Judson’s town election are expected to be finalized during a special Starke County Election Board meeting this morning. Since North Judson is the only place in Starke County holding an election this fall, board members have decided to set up a satellite absentee voting location there. But they still need to pick a location and set the specific hours.
Continue readingStarke Election Board Finalizes North Judson Ballot, Votes Not to Hold Elections in Knox and Hamlet
The Starke County Election Board has finalized the ballot for North Judson’s municipal election. Two town council members are facing challenges.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board to Set Up Satellite Early Voting Site in North Judson
North Judson voters won’t have to travel to Knox to cast their ballots early ahead of November’s municipal election. Starke County Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel told the rest of the county election board last week that since North Judson is the only town having an election this year, she’d like to set up a satellite absentee voting location there.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Debates Forming Study Committee to Research Vote Centers
The Starke County Election Board continues discussing the possibility of switching to vote centers, but what the next steps should be was a topic of debate during last week’s meeting.
Dan Bridegroom, serving as a proxy for board member Harrison Fields, spoke in favor of forming a study committee.
Continue readingNew Starke County Election Board Member Selected as Board President, After Stalemate
The Starke County Election Board was a bit slow getting to work Thursday, after members hit a stalemate over who would run the meeting. The first item of business was the board’s reorganization.
Continue readingStarke County Election Board Expected to Discuss Vote Centers this Morning
The Starke County Election Board’s newest member will take her seat during this morning’s meeting. Marcia Bedrock was appointed earlier this month by Starke County Republican Party Chair Dave Kesvormas, to replace Peg Brettin.
Continue readingStarke County Commissioners Consider Vote Center Resolution
A resolution that would start the process to move to Vote Centers was discussed in a joint session meeting with the Starke County Commissioners and Starke County Council members Monday night.
Continue readingStarke County Republican Chairman Appoints New Election Board Member
A new Republican representative has been appointed to the Starke County Election Board.
Continue readingStarke County Commissioners Support Move to Vote Centers
The Starke County Commissioners approved a motion Monday night to direct the Starke County Election Board to move forward with a move from precinct voting sites to Vote Centers.
Continue readingKnox Officials Pass Resolution that Recommends Waiving Municipal General Election
Knox City Council members considered a resolution Tuesday night that recommended waiving the City’s General Election.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston stated that if the City was permitted to forgo November’s election, they could potentially save approximately $8,700.
Continue readingStarke County Voting Machines to Get an Upgrade
Starke County’s nine-year-old voting machines will undergo an update to bring them up to date with operating systems and security.
Continue readingKnox Clerk-Treasurer Questions Election Bill
Knox City Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston approached the Starke County Council members last week concerning a bill for $8,700 for the Primary Election.
Continue readingVoting Room Flag Placement Debated by Starke County Election Board
One of the Starke County Election Board’s recent debates had to do with the placement of a flag in the early voting room. The board voted two-to-one last week to remove a large flag from its location in front of a window.
Continue readingPerception Concerns Prompt Staffing Adjustments during Starke County’s Early Voting Hours
The Starke County Clerk’s Office is working to address some perception issues, stemming from the fact that the county’s election clerk is also on next month’s ballot. Colleen Hodge is one of two Democrats running for Knox clerk-treasurer.
Continue readingStarke County Clerk Shares Concerns with Election Board
Starke County Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel is trying to establish some ground rules with the rest of the county election board. During a contentious meeting last week, Welter-Manuel read from a prepared statement outlining a list of concerns. “One, I will only be attending properly posted public election board meetings going forward,” she said. “With this being said, I won’t take any action on anything that comes out of any other said meetings. I will not be answering anymore to where my clerks are at any meetings or events. They are my employees, my sole decision to have them or not. The budget that I give to run my office does not need approval or a vote from this board.”
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