Voting continues

As of Friday, April 17, just 430 votes had been cast in Wayne County primary election early voting, through a combination of mailed and in-person ballots.

Here’s a quick look at upcoming voting schedules, a public candidate forum and the deadline to request an absentee ballot.

Candidate forum

Several organizations are teaming to offer a candidate forum next week that’s free and open to the public.

It will take place from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, at Landrum Bolling Center’s Room 105 at Earlham College, 801 National Road W., Richmond.

All candidates registered to run for Wayne County sheriff, Indiana House District 56 and Indiana Senate District 27 were invited to discuss their vision for the community.

Sponsors include Wayne County League of Women Voters, Wayne County Indivisible, Richmond NAACP, and Earlham’s Center for Social Justice and Department of Peace and Global Studies.

Light refreshments will be provided.

When to vote

Voters can cast ballots at the courthouse between 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. Or they can visit the courthouse on two Saturdays, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 25 and May 2, when no other offices are open. Voting ends at the courthouse at noon Monday, May 4. 

Four vote centers will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, April 27, through Friday, May 1. Two centers are in Richmond (First Bank Kuhlman Center and First English Lutheran Church). Golay Community Center in Cambridge City and New Testament Church in Hagerstown also serve as vote centers.

In addition, First Bank Kuhlman Center will be open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on two Saturdays, April 25 and May 2, for voting. 

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

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.

When voters finish 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 youtube.com/watch?v=bzyG_ldamu4.

Final chances

Thursday, April 23, is the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail. Ballots can be requested by calling 765-973-9304, emailing voters@waynecounty.in.gov or downloading the form at indianavoters.in.gov/MVPHome/PrintDocuments. It must be received by 11:59 p.m. that day; a postmark is not sufficient. 

To cast a ballot by mail, voters must meet one of 12 qualifications including factors like being 65 or older, having a disability, caring for a confined individual, working for the full 12 hours the polls are open or lack of transportation.

May 4 at noon is the deadline for confined voters or their caregivers to request ballot delivery from a bipartisan traveling board. 

Poll worker substitutes needed

The Wayne County Clerk’s office needs additional substitute poll workers, both Republicans and Democrats, to help with the May 5 election day. Call 765-973-9304 or email voters@waynecounty.in.gov for more information.