LOGANSPORT — Since lawmakers made them an option for all Indiana counties, vote centers seem to be catching on.
Election officials from Marshall, Miami, Wabash and Wells counties spent time in Cass County this week to learn details about the voting concept that has proven to reduce costs and add convenience. Clerk Beth Liming led a tour that included the courthouse and the three vote center locations set up for Logansport’s municipal election.
“They’re wanting to get out and see how vote centers are working here for us in Cass County,” Liming said.
Cass, Tippecanoe and Wayne counties are the only three counties in the state that have vote centers. They took part in a three-year pilot program to study the pros and cons of vote centers.
Each of the interested counties would like to switch to vote centers from the traditional precinct-style of voting that requires voters to cast their ballots in the precinct where they live.
With vote centers, voters are allowed to vote at any voting site. Liming said that convenience results in a higher voter turnout and fewer voters being turned away for showing up at the wrong polling place.
Miami County Clerk Tawna Leffel said she traveled to Logansport to gain a greater understanding of how vote centers function.
CJ Gilsinger, Cass County’s information technology manager, explained how the electronic poll book determined that a voter was eligible and ensured that the voter cast a ballot only once and only at one location.
Liming said vote centers save taxpayer dollars by reducing the number of polling places and workers.
For example, Cass County went from 20 precinct voting locations to seven in last year’s election. For the municipal election, there are three.
Fewer voting sites means less rent and less equipment, Liming said.
Those features and others were what compelled Leffel to contact Liming.
“We want to save the county money,” she said.
Elaine Martin, clerk of Wabash County, said she heard that the start-up costs were significant, but that in the long run election costs would drop. She would like to implement vote centers in the next couple of years if she can gather enough support from the county council, the public and the election board.
The new law states that a county can adopt vote centers with a unanimous vote by the county election board.
Leffel, who wants vote centers in place next year, said she anticipates a struggle with convincing an election board member who is reluctant to change from the traditional method of voting.
Martin said she had read many articles and followed the bill through the Legislature this past session. She said she had heard no negative comments.
“Everything that I’ve heard from the clerks in those particular counties as well as the employees and from the voters, everyone seems to love them,” Martin said.
Liming said the counties contacted her. She offered to help them through the process because of the successes in Cass County.
“I’m willing to help because I can see how much it’s saved our county and what it’s done for the convenience of our voters,” she said.
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