Early voting wraps up; Polls open 6 to 6 on Tuesday
Record-setting early voting ended yesterday, and all thats left is the Election Day in-person turnout today.
Polling locations across the state are going to be open from 6 to 6 Tuesday as voters across Indiana makes choices in races ranging from president and governor, down to local school boards.
A month of early voting wrapped up at noon Monday. Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps reports that nearly 21,000 voters cast ballots at the Fair Oaks Mall early voting site with another 6,675 early votes through the mail. That total of 27,518 early votes means more than half of the county’s registered voters have already cast their ballots. The Secretary of State’s Office yesterday said 1.8 million people in the state voted before Election Day.
In Bartholomew County, voters will have several choices to make include three at-large seats on the County Council. Incumbent Republicans Bill Lentz, Matt Miller, and Evelyn Pence are running against Democrats Tiffany Bosley, Olisa Humes and Claudette Schroer.
There are also three contested school board races on the ballot with a three-way race for District 3, with incumbent James Persinger facing challengers Todd Grimes and Mike Jamerson. In District 5, incumbent Pat Bryant is running against challenger Jennifer Corsi, and in District 7, Lacretia Ulrey is running against Nicole Wheeldon. Incumbent Jeff Caldwell is not seeking re-election to that seat.
In statehouse races, Republican Rep. Ryan Lauer is being challenged by Democrat Dale Nowlin for District 59 covering most of Columbus and Bartholomew County. Republican Rep. Jim Lucas is facing independent Katrina “Kat” Hardwick and Democrat Jeffery Prewitt for District 69 which includes very southern Bartholomew County as well as parts of Jackson, Jennings and Jefferson counties.
Republican State Sen. Eric Koch is facing Columbus Democrat Cindie Wirth for the District 44 seat which includes western Bartholomew County. Republican State Rep. Sean Eberhart is running unopposed for his District 57 seat, which includes northeastern Bartholomew County.
In Hope, Democratic Town Council member Nellie Meek is running her first re-election campaign against Republican challenger John Walstead.
Several Bartholomew County races are going uncontested this election, including two seats on the County Commissioners, which will still be held by Republicans Larry Kleinhenz and Tony London. Former Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde is running unopposed for Judge of Bartholomew Superior Court and Clayton Nolting will win re-election as County Coroner with no opponent.
On Tuesday, voting will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at one of 12 vote centers around Bartholomew County. Those will be located at:
- Flintwood Wesleyan Church, 5300 25th St, Columbus
- St. John’s Masonic Lodge, 4131 Rocky Ford Road, Columbus
- Fair Oaks Mall, 2104 25th St., Columbus
- Donner Center, 739 22nd St., Columbus
- River of Living Water Christian Church, 51 N. Brooks St., Columbus
- Terrace Lake Church, 4260 W. County Road 200S, Columbus
- Westside Community Church, 124 Tipton Lakes Blvd, Columbus
- Elizabethtown Fire Station, 10203 E. Legal Tender Road, Elizabethtown
- Hope Moravian Church, 202 Main Street, Hope.
- Clifford Fire Station, 7850 N. Depot St., Clifford
- German Township Fire Station, 9428 Main St., Taylorsville.
- Ogilville United Methodist Church, 11910 S. East State Road 58, Ogilville.