Starke County Election Board Finalizes Plans for This Week’s Poll Worker Training Sessions

Starke County expects to have a total of 20 first-time poll workers this Election Day. During last week’s election board meeting, board member Peg Brettin said voters will notice some younger people working the polls, “Because many of the older people either, one, don’t want to do it anymore, or two, are deceased,” she explained. “So that’s one of the reasons why you’re going to see a lot of new people out there.”

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ACLU Gives Poll Workers Tips for Interacting with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Voters

As Election Day approaches, the American Civil Liberties Union is taking steps to make sure transgender and gender non-conforming voters are treated with respect.

During Wednesday’s Starke County Election Board meeting, Clerk Vicki Cooley presented board members with a letter and a list of tips for poll workers that she received from the ACLU of Indiana’s LGBTQ Rights Project. Continue reading

Voter Registration Deadline Approaching for General Election

Those who’d like to vote in next month’s General Election but are not registered have one more week to get that done. The voter registration deadline is Tuesday, October 9. Residents have until the close of business that day to register at their county clerk’s office, or until midnight to register online at IndianaVoters.com. On that website, you can also check and see whether you’re already registered.

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Poll Worker’s Needlepoint Hobby Leads to Debate during Starke County Election Board Meeting

A poll worker’s needlepoint hobby led to a lengthy debate among Starke County Election Board members Wednesday. Board President Harrison Fields said he’s gotten complaints about a poll worker who’s apparently been doing needlepoint while waiting for potential voters, during in-person absentee voting hours. “I’ve had two phone calls on it, and me personally, I don’t like the looks of it, personally,” he said. “I don’t like the looks of it.”

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Starke County Election Board Discusses Upcoming Public Test for Voting Machines

Citizens interested in getting a little bit of “voting practice” in prior to the May Primary Election will be pleased to hear that a test voting day will be held next week.

The upcoming public test for voting machines was discussed during Wednesday morning’s Starke County Election Board meeting. Starke County Clerk Vicki Cooley said the test is being held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3rd. Continue reading

Starke Election Board to Discuss Voting Machine Upgrades with County Council, Commissioners

The Starke County Election Board is ready to take its proposal for voting machine upgrades to the county council and commissioners. Vendor MicroVote wants to bring the county’s 46 machines up to the latest federal standards, in time for the 2020 presidential election. Board members decided Wednesday to discuss the upgrades with the county council and commissioners during their March 19 meetings.

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Starke County Election Board Sets Early Voting Hours Ahead of May Primary

The Starke County Election Board has finalized early voting hours, ahead of the May primary. The in-person absentee voting period runs from April 10 to May 7. During that time, Starke County voters will be able to cast their ballots on the first floor of the County Courthouse in Knox weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Those hours will be extended to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and Friday, May 4.

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Starke County Election Board Finds Harris Ineligible for Railroad Township Board Race

A Railroad Township Trustee candidate is now out of the race, but another name has been added. John Harris is officially off the ballot following a pair of challenges against his campaign, according to Starke County Clerk Vicki Cooley. She says the Starke County Election Board reviewed the challenges Friday and determined that Harris was not an eligible candidate for the May primary.

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