Early voting starts across state

BROWNSTOWN - Willard Shouse of Medora has heard the talk about the role Indiana may play in this presidential election.

"I've heard Indiana might be a swing state," Shouse said Monday afternoon, shortly after casting his ballot at the absentee voting board at the courthouse.

The general election is Nov. 4, and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, a Democrat, and Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican, are locked in a tight battle for president in Indiana, according to polls.

"I came here to see if I was registered to vote and found out I could vote," Shouse said. "So I just took care of it all."

Early voting in Indiana is allowed until noon Nov. 3.

Shouse said he wanted to make sure he voted this year because he feels his vote can make a difference.

Fabian Perez, also of Medora, had a simpler reason for voting early.

"I just wanted to avoid the hassles and the stress," Perez said.

Perez said he didn't want to stand in line on Election Day and added he wanted to avoid the politicians and their supporters outside his regular polling site.
Perez said he votes absentee most years.

"I'm usually out-of-state," Perez said.

This year, the former Lawrence County resident who moved to Jackson County a few years ago said he's going to visit his daughter, who lives in Tennessee.

Like Perez, Paul M. Gregory of Seymour said he often votes by absentee ballot.

He has a different reason though.

"I think I'm working that day at a polling site," Gregory said.

Paul Goen of Medora also decided to vote early for the first time.

"I was going to wait until Election Day, but I heard about it and just decided to take advantage of it and get it out of the way," Goen said.

Goen said this was the first time he had ever voted early but thought he might try it again in the future.

By noon, 25 voters had cast ballots, poll worker Janet Myers said. The steady flow of people visiting the polling site continued throughout the afternoon after Myers and her fellow poll worker, Marilyn Chadwell, returned from a lunch break.

There also was a steady flow of people visiting the voter registration office to register to vote. Monday was the last day to do so for the Nov. 4 election.
Voter registration clerk Carolyn Hurt said today there was a constant flow of people into the office registering to vote Monday.

"And the phones were ringing," Hurt said. "It was a pretty hectic day. We're looking for a calmer day today."

Clerk Sarah Benter said 50 people cast early ballots Monday.