The polls in three of Jackson County’s four municipalities opened at 6 a.m. today, and if you’re planning to vote, you likely won’t have much of a wait.
If absentee voting is any indication, voter turnout will be low in Seymour, where there are just two races on the ballot, and in Crothersville, where there also are two races on the ballot.
It’s likely going to be even lower in Brownstown, where the only decision voters have is to decide who will hold the Ward 2 seat for the next four years. Medora has no races.
There are 10 precincts located in six polling sites in Seymour; three precincts in Brownstown that all vote at the courthouse; and the Vernon Crothersville precinct, which votes at First Baptist Church.
About 3 percent or 383 of the 14,875 registered voters in those municipalities cast votes in the weeks leading up to today’s election.
Because of the anticipated low turnout, there won’t be quite as many poll workers on hand at each voting site.
“They will still have to do the same job and have the same responsibilities,” Jackson County Clerk Amanda Lowery said.
For poll workers, each Election Day begins an hour before the polls open and isn’t over when the polls close at 6 p.m., she said.
“They work closer to a 14- or even 15-hour day,” Lowery said. Today just might seem a little longer if turnout is low, she added.
But the weather is supposed to be great, she said.
The race that drew the most interest during early voting will likely do so again today.
That race pits nine people — five Democrats and four Republicans — for the five town council seats in Crothersville. The five Democrats on the ballot are Brenda Holzworth, Nancy Hopper, Lenvel “Butch” Robinson, Geoffrey Walker and Robert “Bob” Lyttle.
The Republican candidates are Chad Wilson, J.D. Woods, Jerad T. Sporleder and Danieta Foster.
Crothersville, which has 1,142 registered voters, also has a clerk-treasurer’s race with incumbent Terry Richey, a Republican, facing a challenge from Democrat NaLona Bush.
The Seymour City Council races feature Democrat Tammy Riordan, a political newcomer, challenging incumbent James Rebber, a Republican, for the District 4 seat; and the two at-large council seats, which are being contested by incumbents Lloyd Hudson, a Democrat, and Darrin Boas, a Republican, and newcomers, Kendra Zumhingst, a Republican, and independent Shawn Malone.
There are 11,816 registered voters in Seymour.
The only other race in the county is in Brownstown, where incumbent Ward 2 Councilwoman Bethany Brewster, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat James “Jim” Weesner.
Brownstown has 1,917 registered voters.
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Anyone planning to vote in today’s Seymour municipal election needs three things:
Be a registered voter. To confirm your registration, call the Jackson County Voter Registration Office at 812-358-6120 or visit indianavoters.com.
Live within city limits of Seymour or the town limits of Brownstown and Crothersville.
Have a valid government-issued identification with a photograph, and it must be current through Nov. 4, 2014 (the last general election). It can be a driver’s license, passport or any identification issued by the state or federal government.
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Brownstown
Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St.,: Brownstown 1, Brownstown 2 and Brownstown 3
Crothersville
First Baptist Church, 401 E. Howard St.: Vernon Crothersville
Seymour
Calvary Baptist Church, 1202 N. Ewing St.: Jackson 1 East and Redding Seymour
The Point, 311 Myers St.: Jackson 2 East and Jackson 2 West
American Legion annex, 414 W. Second St.,: Jackson 3 North and Jackson 5 East
Seymour Christian Church, 915 Kasting Road: Jackson 3 South
First Baptist Church, 505 Community Drive: Jackson 4 North and Jackson 5 North
Zion Lutheran Church, 1501 Gaiser Drive: Jackson 4 South
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