HANCOCK COUNTY — Voters can cast ballots as early as Tuesday for this spring’s primary election.
Campaign signs are already starting to pop up along Greenfield’s main streets a month before the May 7 election, but residents soon will have a chance to vote. Hancock County has five contested races in the Republican primary — two spots on the Greenfield City Council, two on the Fortville Town Council and one race for the McCordsville Town Council. There are no Democratic contested races in this spring’s election.
The elections are not countywide. Only people in those municipalities may vote.
Early voting begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9, and lasts until noon on May 6 in the Hancock County Courthouse. On April 22, residents can cast ballots at McCordsville Town Hall, Fortville Community Center and the Hancock County Public Library in Greenfield, according to Hancock County Clerk Lisa Lofgreen.
The Hancock County Election Board found the county’s voting equipment to be in working order at a public test of the machines on Thursday.
Election board members, Republican Party chairwoman Janice Silvey, Democratic Party chairman Randy Johnson and members of the public cast mock ballots, testing to see if the county’s machines would catch invalid entries, such as voting for multiple candidates and not filling in a ballot box the correct way.
They voted on paper ballots as well as on touch-screen equipment. The county recently decided to not fully introduce the touch-screen ExpressVote machines this year after last fall’s early-voting pilot program. Apple said the machines are, however, available to any voter who wants to use them at each vote center.
Those at the test were also able to see the county’s new electronic poll books, devices election workers use to check in voters. Hancock County spent $87,364 to purchase 35 KNOWiNK e-poll books from Indianapolis-based MicroVote. That price also includes new printers, a router and scanners, Lofgreen said.
Robin Spille, election deputy, said the new e-poll books, which are iPads hooked up to a stand, will speed up the check-in process. Workers will scan the person’s driver’s license, which verifies the voter within seconds. The worker will then take a ticket with a voter’s information and scan that to print a ballot.
Early voting will last until noon on May 6 at the courthouse.
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Early voting in Hancock County
Hancock County Courthouse, 9 E. Main St, Greenfield
Weekday hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 to May 6
Saturdays: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 27 and May 4
Early voting ends at noon May 6
McCordsville Town Hall, 6280 W. 800 North, McCordsville; Fortville Community Center, 400 W. Church St., Fortville
Weekday hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 to May 4
Saturdays: 8 a.m. to noon April 27 and May 4
Hancock County Public Library – Greenfield, 900 W. McKenzie Road, Greenfield
April 22 to May 5
Monday through Thursday hours: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday hours: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Weekend hours: April 27 to May 5 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Source: Hancock County Election Office
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Hoosiers have until Monday to register to vote in the 2019 municipal election. Citizens can register to vote online by using the Indiana Voters app, by visiting IndianaVoters.com or by submitting an application to register in person at their local county clerk’s office. For Hancock County residents, the county clerk’s office is Room 213 in the Hancock County Courthouse, 9 E. Main St., Greenfield. Voters with questions can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at 866-IN-1-VOTE.
Source: Indiana Secretary of State’s office
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Greenfield City Council, at-large (pick 2)
Mitch Pendlum
Daniel Riley
Joe Skvarenina
Greenfield City Council, District 2
John Jester
Thomas Lopez
Fortville Town Council, District 1 (pick 2)
Michael Frischkorn
Tonya Drake Davis
Libby Wyatt
Fortville Town Council, District 2
Timothy Hexamer
Becky Davis
McCordsville Town Council, District 2
Bryan Burney
Greg Brewer
Municipalities in Hancock County have no contested Democratic races.
Source: Hancock County Election Office
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