Vote centers planned

Vote centers are in Jay County’s future.

Depending on how the primary goes next year, election board officials may adjust that plan.

Jay County Election Board shared details Monday at a public hearing about its plan to begin using vote centers in 2026.

Vote centers serve as an alternative to traditional precinct-based voting in which voters are assigned a polling location in their area. They allow registered voters to cast a ballot at any county polling location on Election Day. 

Plans are for Jay County to use two vote center locations for Election Day — Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St., Portland, and West Jay Community Center, 125 Hoover St., Dunkirk. (Currently, the county has eight polling locations for its 18 precincts.)

For the 2026 primary election, early voting — it starts 28 days before Election Day — will be offered at the courthouse auditorium, 120 W. Main St., Portland. West Jay Community Center is also listed as a suggested satellite vote center for early voting the two Saturdays prior to the election.

Registered voters may choose any of those locations within designated time frames to cast their ballots.

Former Portland mayor Randy Geesaman asked if election board members had heard feedback from Redkey or Pennville residents regarding the plan, which doesn’t offer a polling location in either town.

Jay County clerk Missy Elliott said she received a phone call from one Pennville resident who was concerned the change will take away from Pennville voters.

“While the Pennville Lions’ building that we currently use is a wonderful facility, it is not handicapped accessible,” said Elliott. “Redkey, we’re having the same issue trying to find a location that is handicap accessible, number one, and number two, that meets the requirements — you have to have two paved spots for voting, and we have not been able to find those yet.”

Elliott explained the election board is open to adding more vote center locations if needed and if suitable locations can be found. She mentioned the next presidential election as an example, pointing to its higher voter turnout, and said the board may choose to add more locations for 2028.

“I also want to point out that just because we say we’re going to have two locations doesn’t mean that’s the way it’s going to stay always,” she said. “We are open to adding more locations based on voter feedback, voter turnout and the election.”

The county owns 55 voting machines. Plans are to utilize more machines at both vote centers, which vote center study committee members noted may help speed up the process.

Rob Weaver of WPGW Radio asked if all counties surrounding Jay have already moved to vote centers. Elliott confirmed Adams, Blackford, Randolph and Wells counties already utilize them, with Delaware County currently looking into the polling method. (Two-thirds of Indiana counties use vote centers, said Elliott.)

Responding to a question on whether she thinks the change will deter folks from voting, Elliott pointed to early voter turnout. In the 2024 general election, she noted, 4,073 voters participated in early voting, while 3,874 voters cast their ballots on Election Day. She said she doesn’t foresee a drop in participation as a result of the shift to vote centers.

“It’s hard to gauge,” she added. “That’s why we welcome the public feedback.”

Local resident Sara Darby, who served on the vote center study committee, pointed to various instances of residents showing up to the wrong location to vote. Dunkirk Police Chief Dane Mumbower, who also served on the study committee, recalled folks who would show up shortly before the polls close only to learn they are at the wrong location.

With the ability for any Jay County registered voter to cast their ballot at any vote center, that problem would be eliminated.

Former Jay County clerk Jane Ann Runyon voiced support for vote centers.

The plan presented Monday serves as a draft, said Elliott. Per state law, the election board must hold a public comment period for 30 days to allow input on the vote center plan before finalizing it. Once public comments have been implemented to the plan, the election board must vote unanimously to adopt it at a public meeting, which is slated for Oct. 16. The plan is then filed with Indiana Election Division.

Elliott said she’s planning to alert registered voters with a notice in the mail, as well as adding a notice to residents’ tax bills and displaying signs at former polling locations on Election Day directing voters to the new centers.

Once the plan is enacted, election board members may make amendments as needed. Answering a question from The Commercial Review, Elliott said she would be happy to alert media about amendments as they are made in the future. She pointed out the clerk’s office and election board aren’t required to give notice to voters but decided to do so.

“I’m choosing to do so because I feel like that’s my due diligence to let everyone know about the change as well as I can,” Elliott said.