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Deadline nears for voter registration; Early voting starts Oct. 8th

This is National Voter Registration Month and officials say that this is a good time to register or check your registration for the November elections.

The deadline to register to vote for the November election is coming up on October 7th.

In Bartholomew County, voters will be able to cast ballots in several local contested races including for state representative, a seat on the county commissioners, three at-large seats on the county council, as well as school board seats in Bartholomew Consolidated schools.

Contested races in Bartholomew County  include:

  • State Representative District 59: Incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Lauer vs Democrat Ross Thomas

  • State Representative District 69: Incumbent Republican Rep. Jim Lucas vs Democrat Trish Whitcomb.

  • State Representative District 73: Incumbent Republican Rep. Jennifer Meltzer vs Democrat Hollie Payton.

  • Bartholomew County Commissioner District 1: Incumbent Republican Larry Kleinhenz vs Democrat Josh Burbrink.

  • Bartholomew County Council at-large: Republicans Michael Bell, Kim Bennett and Marcus Speer vs Democrats Michelle Carr, Nancy Merbitz and Zack Patchett

  • BCSC District 3: Whittney Loyd vs. David Theile.

  • BCSC District 5: Leigh Britt vs Tom Glick

  • BCSC District 7: Samantha Ison vs incumbent Nicole Wheeldon.

  • Hope Town Council Ward 3: Republican incumbent Ohmer Miller vs Democrat Jerry Bragg.

Uncontested races on the ballot include Judge Jim Worton for Superior Court 1, Tony London for County Commissioner District 3, Tom Barrett for county coroner and Jake Fitzsimmons for county surveyor. All are Republicans. Independent Hope Clerk-Treasurer Diane Burton is also running unopposed.

Early voting will start on Oct. 8th. In Bartholomew County you can vote early and in person at Donner Center off of 22nd Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The county will add Saturday voting on October 26th and November 2nd. Saturday voting will be available at both Donner Center and the Bartholomew County Governmental Office Building on Third street from 8 to 3 on those Saturday.

Early voting wraps up by noon on Monday, Nov. 4th with Election Day on Nov. 5th. In Bartholomew County you will be able to vote at any of 14 vote centers throughout the county from 6 to 6.

To check your registration you can go to indianavoters.com or you can call the Bartholomew County clerk’s office at 812-379-1604.