Vote centers open

Another sign that Election Day is almost here: Saturday voting has begun, and vote centers are open this week to help reduce waiting time on the final day.

As of Friday, April 24, 654 votes had been cast in Wayne County primary election early voting, through a combination of mailed and in-person ballots.

On Saturday, two polling sites were open for a few hours to offer a convenient option for those working during the week. Ninety-three voters cast ballots that day at First Bank Kuhlman Center and 20 voted at Wayne County Courthouse, for a total of 810.

Here’s a look at upcoming voting schedules, how to get an ID to vote and other helpful information.

Early voting

Four vote centers opened Monday, April 27, and will be available from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Friday, May 1.

Golay Community Center, 1007 E. Main St., Cambridge City and New Testament Church in Hagerstown, 752 W. Main St., serve as vote centers on the county’s western and northern sides.

Two centers are in Richmond, First Bank Kuhlman Center, 861 Salisbury Road N., and First English Lutheran Church, 2727 E. Main St.

In addition, First Bank Kuhlman Center will be open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, for voting. 

Voters can continue casting ballots at the courthouse, 301 E. Main St., Richmond, between 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily through Friday, May 1.

Or they can visit the courthouse on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. when no other offices are open. The final hours to vote at the courthouse are 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday, May 4. 

Election Day

Eight vote centers will be open across the county from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Election Day, which is Tuesday, May 5.

• This year’s new polling location is Centerville Church of the Nazarene at 7181 U.S. 40, Centerville. It’s across from Gillman Home Center on the town’s western edge.
• Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 1108 N. H St., Richmond
• LifeSpring North Church, 5600 U.S. 27 N., Richmond
• First Baptist Church, 1601 S. A St., Richmond
• Golay Community Center, 1007 E. Main St., Cambridge City
• New Testament Church of Christ, 752 W. Main St., Hagerstown
• First Bank Kuhlman Center, 861 Salisbury Road N., Richmond
• First English Lutheran Church, 2727 E. Main St., Richmond

Clerk’s office closure

While Wayne County’s voter registration office in the courthouse will be open to the public on Election Day (May 5) for election matters, the clerk’s office will be closed to the public that day for child support collections, marriage licenses and divorces, court records and payments.

Clerk Tara Pegg said a new state law passed last year requires the clerk’s office to be closed on Election Day for the primary and general elections.

Free IDs

Indiana voters must bring either a driver’s license or a free state-issued identification card. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles provides that service and is extending hours for two days to help voters needing IDs.

BMV branches will be open from 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, May 4, and 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.

More information about required documents is available at 888-692-6841 or in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/.

Traveling board

Noon on Monday, May 4, is the deadline for confined voters or their caregivers to request ballot delivery from a bipartisan traveling board.  For more information, call 765-973-9304.

How to vote

For the first time, voters must select their political party on the tablet computer at the clerk’s station in the polling location. Once voters enter their choice into the electronic poll book, they can’t change their primary ballot choice.

Wayne County continues to use pen-and-paper ballots after many years of voting on a computer.

When voters are finished filling in boxes on their paper ballot with a pen, they put their ballot in a scanner that reads the information on both sides in seconds. The counted ballot is automatically deposited into a locked box.

A video demonstrating the equipment is available at wwn.to/verityvote.