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Election Day is today; polls open until 6 p.m.

It is Election Day on Tuesday and voters in Bartholomew County will be casting their ballots in races ranging from the highest national offices and state offices, to local school boards.

In addition to the well publicized races for president, governor, attorney general, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, there are contested races for the local seats the Indiana statehouse on the ballot. In most of Bartholomew County including Columbus, voters will be choosing between Republican State Rep. Ryan Lauer and Democrat Ross Thomas. Voters in the eastern and northern parts of Bartholomew County will be voting for Republican State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer or Democrat Hollie Payton. And in far southern Bartholomew County voters will be choosing between Republican State Rep. Jim Lucas and his opponent Democrat Trish Whitcomb.

There is one contested race for the Bartholomew County Commissioners with long-time incumbent Republican Larry Kleinhenz seeking re-election against Democrat Josh Burbrink for the District 1 seat. All three at-large seats on the Bartholomew County Council are also up with no incumbents deciding to file for re-election. Voters will be choosing between Republicans Michael Bell, Kim Bennett and Marcus Speer and Democrats Michelle Carr, Nancy Merbitz and Zack Patchett.

There are also three contested Bartholomew Consolidated School Board seats up for election Tuesday, with Whitney Loyd running against David Theile in he District 3 race, Leigh Britt against Tom Glick for the District 5 seat and Samantha Ison challenging incumbent Nichole Wheeldon in the District 7 seat.

Election officials point out that choosing to cast a straight-party ticket will mean your vote will not be counted toward either the county council or school board races. Instead, you have to specifically make choices for those races.

in Bartholomew County you will be able to cast your vote at one of 14 voter centers throughout the county. Those will include:

  • Flintwood Wesleyan Church

  • St. Johns Masonic Lodge

  • Nexus Park, the former Fair Oaks Mall

  • Donner Center

  • River of Living Water Christian Church, formerly known as Berean Bible Church on Brooks Street

  • The Bartholomew County Governmental Office Building

  • Terrace Lake Church

  • Westside Community Church

  • Elizabethtown Fire Station

  • Hope Moravian Church

  • Clifford Fire Station

  • German Township Fire Station

  • Mount Healthy Community Church formerly known as the Ogilville United Methodist Church

  • The Bartholomew County REMC offices on Deaver Road.

Polls will be open until 6 p.m. this evening. Election officials remind you to bring a current state photo ID.

Bartholomew County Clerk Shari Lentz explains:

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle Offices around the state will be open extra hours until 6 p.m. tonight, just for those who need to get their ID to cast their vote.

If you have any problems or question about voting today, you can call the Bartholomew County Clerk’s Voter Registration office at 812-379-1604.

Lentz explains: