Beginning Monday, Jackson County residents can cast ballots early for the May 5 primary election.
Absentee voting will be available at Jackson County Superior Court in Seymour and the Jackson County Courthouse in Brownstown.
Jackson County Clerk Amanda Lowery said the courthouse location generally opens about a month before an election. But since the races in the primary election are all in Seymour, a decision was made to open up the Seymour and Brownstown sites a little later.
“We’ll be ready to roll at both locations on Monday,” Lowery said.
“There’s not as much on the ballot, but the process of setting up for early voting is basically the same,” she added. “We have to move equipment to get that in place. We have to find the workers to come and get everyone taken care of.”
From Monday to May 2, the weekday hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Brownstown and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Seymour. Both locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
The final chance to vote early will be from 8 a.m. to noon May 4 at both locations.
A traveling board for confined voters will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays April 27 through May 1 and from 8 a.m. until however long it is needed May 4.
Voters must present a valid Indiana or government-issued photo identification card before voting.
Lowery said it is too late to register to vote in the primary election. But anyone wanting to register to vote in the general election can stop by the clerk’s office; go online to indianavoter.in.gov or indianavoters.com; or use the “Indiana voters” app on a smartphone or tablet.
Lowery said her office is processing only about 20 requests for absentee voting by mail.
She said she is hopeful more people show up to vote early or vote on Election Day.
In Seymour, the only contested races are for Seymour City Council seats. Mayor Craig Luedeman and Clerk-Treasurer Fred Lewis, both Republican incumbents, are unopposed in the primary.
Republicans Matt Nicholson, David Pollert and Kurt Newkirk are running for the Seymour City Council District 3 seat, while Republican incumbent Jim Rebber is being challenged by Republican Philip Hardwick in District 4. Tammy Riordan is the only Democrat running for District 4.
The race for Republican nominations for the two at-large council seats also features three candidates — Darrin Boas, Dovie Stidham and Kendra Zumhingst.
Earlier this year, Boas obtained that seat, vacated by Republican Jennifer Siefker when she moved out of state, by defeating Zumhingst 8-3 in a caucus of precinct committee members.
Also running at-large are incumbent Democrat Lloyd Hudson and independent Shawn Malone.
Democrat John Reinhart in District 1, Republican Brian “Bubba” D’Arco in District 2 and independent David Earley in District 5, all incumbents, are running unopposed.
Lowery said she expects turnout to be good for the Nov. 3 general election because there also will be clerk-treasurer and town council races in Brownstown, Crothersville and Medora.
The filing period for those offices started in early January and runs through Aug. 3 at the clerk’s office in the courthouse.
At the end of the filing deadline, if Democrats or Republicans have more candidates than they need to fill a candidate vacancy, they will host a town convention, Lowery said. Those are for communities with a population of fewer than 3,500 people.
“At a town convention, all of the eligible Republican or Democratic voters, depending which party is hosting, will have an opportunity to come and cast a vote for the candidate they want to represent them in the November election,” she said.
Lowery said it’s a cost savings for the towns to do a convention instead of having primary and general elections.
Those who have filed declarations of candidacy for town elections so far are:
Brownstown Town Council: Republicans Bethany Botkin Brewster, John Nolting (incumbent), C.J. Foster (incumbent), Ben Lewis (incumbent), Matt Smith and Sally Cate Lawson; Democrat Bill Sweeney (incumbent)
Brownstown clerk-treasurer: Democrat Dave Willey (incumbent)
Crothersville Town Council: Democrats Robert “Bob” Lyttle, Brenda Holzworth, Nancy Hopper and Geoffrey Walker; Republicans Jerad Sporleder and J.D. Woods
Crothersville clerk-treasurer: Democrat NaLona Bush; Republican Terry Richey (incumbent)
Medora Town Council: Republicans Jim Davers (incumbent) and Sharon Bowers; Democrat Robert Thompson (incumbent)
Medora clerk-treasurer: Democrat Betty Campbell (incumbent)
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Absentee voting
Jackson County Courthouse in Brownstown
Begins at 8 a.m. Monday and continues weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through May 1.
It also will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 and May 2 and from 8 a.m. to noon May 4.
Jackson County Superior Court in Seymour
Begins at 8 a.m. Monday and continues weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through May 1.
It also will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 and May 2 and from 8 a.m. to noon May 4.
Traveling board
Confined voters can use this option weekdays from April 27 to May 4.
For information, contact the Jackson County voter registration office at 812-358-6120.
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