Short lines and a desire to have a say in key races is motivating voters to cast their ballots before Election Day.
Since early voting began about two weeks ago, about 850 residents have voted at the Johnson County Courthouse. In addition, the county has mailed out nearly 300 absentee ballots, and about 180 voters have returned them so far, Johnson County Clerk Sue Misiniec said.
Primary elections in non-presidential years have historically had low turnout in Johnson County, but with a pair of competitive primary races, she said she is hopeful that turnout won’t be as low as four years ago when it dropped below 10 percent.
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Voter turnout in past primaries in Johnson County has ranged from 9 percent in 2014 to 22 percent in 2010, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office. By comparison, when voters are choosing the next president, turnout is higher. For example, in the 2012 primary, turnout was 25 percent, and in the 2016 primary, 40 percent of all registered voters cast a ballot.
Whiteland resident Michelle Jones voted in each of those elections, and has not missed a single primary or general election in the 40 years since her 18th birthday. Voting has been a lifelong habit, and in recent elections she has made sure to make the time to vote early, rather than get stuck in Election Day lines, she said.
But some early voters will need to find a new location to cast a ballot, as several of the vote center sites that have been open before Election Day have changed since last year.
Two locations that have long served as advance vote centers — The Nest, which is in the former Jonathan Byrd’s building, and Mount Pleasant Christian Church — won’t be open to voters on Saturday. The Nest won’t be a site for any voting in the primary election. The church will serve as a vote center in future weeks, but had to miss the first one, Misiniec said.
That means voters in the Greenwood area wanting to cast their ballots this Saturday will have Vineyard Christian Church as their nearest option, she said.
Besides Greenwood, vote centers will also be open in Franklin, Edinburgh and Trafalgar on Saturday.
Misiniec doesn’t expect turnout to result in long lines this weekend. The plan is for each site to have four voting machines active, with another two available should turnout be higher than expected.
Residents said the two races driving them to come out and vote were the ones for the Republican nomination for Johnson County sheriff and U.S Senate.
Jones said the choice between the three Republican candidates for sheriff was a difficult one to make, as she felt each of them could do a good job.
Her husband, Bruce Jones, said his main concern was how the county was going to fund any jail expansion. He wasn’t opposed to a tax increase for that type of project, as long as the money was being spent efficiently, he said.
Michelle Jones described her pick for senator as choosing between the lessor of three evils. She dislikes the amount of negative ads that have sprung up during the heated primary race, she said.
Cindy Roberts, who lives in the Center Grove area, said she chose to vote early because she won’t be able to cast her ballot on May 8.
Roberts also hasn’t been pleased with the senate race because she wants candidates who are able to work together to get things done, rather than spend their time attacking each other, she said.
“It’s just awful,” Roberts said.
With two competitive races serving as draws to get voters out, Misiniec expects turnout to only continue to increase as Election Day approaches.
“It should be an exciting Election Day,” she said.
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Here is a look at where and when you can cast your ballot early:
Now through May 7, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
Others times at this location:
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and May 5
8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 7
Saturday and May 5, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Trafalgar Public Library, 424 S. Tower St., Trafalgar
Vineyard Christian Church, 512 S. Madison Ave., Greenwood
Johnson County Courthouse
Edinburgh Public Library, 119 W. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
Monday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Greenwood Village South Retirement Community, 295 Village Lane, Greenwood
Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Otterbein Senior Lifestyle Community (formerly Franklin United Methodist Community), 1070 W. Jefferson St., Franklin
Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Indiana Masonic Home, 690 State St., Franklin
May 3 and 4, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Vineyard Christian Church
Mount Pleasant Christian Church, 381 N. Bluff Road, Greenwood
Trafalgar Public Library
Edinburgh Public Library
May 5, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mount Pleasant Christian Church
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