HANCOCK COUNTY – Scores of local voters were up well before the sun Tuesday morning to cast votes on Election Day, despite a large early vote turnout in the county.
Early voting turnout was particularly high this year, with over 30,000 Hancock County residents voting before Election Day. Approximately 29,820 of those votes were cast in person while 2,231 mail ballots were received by the county’s election office Monday night, according to county clerk Lisa Lofgreen.
Lofgreen noted the county could still receive more mail-in ballots when the mail comes in on Election Day. Lowder added the high turnout numbers even despite high early voting turnout indicates people are more comfortable with changes on how and when they can vote.
Meanwhile, the line was roughly 60 people deep by the time the polls opened at 6 a.m. at the Fortville Community Center.
Fortville resident Ryan O’Neal said he doesn’t like crowds or long lines due to his anxiety, so he opted to show up at 5 a.m. to be among the first to cast his vote before the line grew too long. There were already three people in line ahead of him.
While he’s not been compelled to take part in past elections, O’Neal made an exception this year and voted for the first time ever.
“I’m not political,” he said. “I just voted because I thought it was important this year.”
It was a familiar sentiment among many voters this Election Day, for what is widely believed to be one of the most critical elections in U.S. history.
Jennifer Slattery, who showed up to vote at the Fortville Community Center around 6 a.m., said it’s an important election, not just for the country but for her community and local school board in the Mt. Vernon school district.
She and her husband Jordan always vote on Election Day, rising before dawn to cast their votes while their children are home asleep in their beds.
“It’s kind of about the fun of doing it on the actual day,” she said.
Scott Beaty of Fortville agrees.
“There’s something about it. It’s D-Day,” he said.
Beaty and his wife Michelle showed up at the Fortville Community Center around 5:30 a.m. when only about four people were lined up before them.
When Kylee Powell arrived about 15 minutes later, the line was beginning to stretch toward the back of the parking lot.
“When I first got here, I was glad to see only about 20 people in front of me. I’m glad I didn’t get here any later,” she said.
As a teacher in Fishers, Powell hadn’t had the chance to take part in early voting, but she said she thinks it’s important to cast her vote.
“I think it’s important because we all have a right to vote and we have a voice,” she said. “If we are wanting to make a change then we need to voice our thoughts, and we can do that by voting.”
The line at the Hancock County Public Library in Greenfield was long as well at the beginning of the day, extending out to McKenzie Road and around the corner, nearly reaching the nearby roundabout, but by 10 a.m. had shortened to around a 20-minute wait.
As of 12:30 p.m., there was little to no line at either the Hancock County Courthouse Annex or the Sheriff’s department.
Candidates from both parties lined the drive opposite the mass of signs surrounding the library’s trio of flagpoles, including both candidates in the race for Indiana State Representative in District 53, Ethan Lawson (R) and Nate Anderson (D), alongside three county council candidates — Robin Lowder (R), Carol Pearson (D) and Linda Robinson (D).
In the southern part of the county, E-Ann Riley, precinct worker at Sugar Creek Library, noted they had a line of people from the time the doors opened at 6 p.m. and had processed over 750 votes prior to lunchtime.
“Things have been moving,” Riley said. “We haven’t had any issues with the machines or anything, but it’s been great seeing so many people out voting.”
Outside of the library candidates and their supporters held signs promoting who they wanted to be elected. Kim Fisk was representing her husband, Kent Fisk.
“I’m just excited to see the turnout we’re having,” Kim Fisk said. “I think that happened in 2020 too, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Robin Lowder’s husband, Jeff Lowder, was representing his wife and noted he too was interested to see how things turn out.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said.
New Palestine Community School Board candidate Amanda Wooton was holding her own sign.
“There was a long line of people when we got her at 6 a.m., and the line has been steady for sure,” Wooton said. “I do hope I am elected because I’m willing to serve. I think we’ve got a lot of good people out here.”
Holly Lawson, Ethan Lawson’s wife, said despite the county being traditionally known as a Republican county, she and her husband have been putting in the work to make sure he’s elected as the state rep.
“I know all the candidates have been working hard and we’ve been knocking on doors since January,” Holly said. “We’re not taking anything for granted so we’re here leaving it all on the field and we know it’s up to voters now.”
At nearby Cross of Grace church, reporters noted they also had a busy morning, handling over 550 voters prior to lunch time.
As of the early afternoon, the Buck Creek township offices, the Randall Residence, Wilkinson Church of Christ and the Nameless Creek Youth Camp had little-to-no wait times while, as of 2 p.m., McCordsville Town Hall had one of the longer wait times in the county at around an hour, with the line wrapping out the door and around the parking lot.
Results of the election come in after the Daily Reporters print deadline. For live results and reaction, go to greenfieldreporter.com.
