First hearing on vote centers in Monroe County in the books, second one set for May 19
On Monday evening (April 7) starting at 5 p.m. in the Nat U. Hill Room of the Monroe County courthouse, the county election board listened to at least a dozen and a half people weigh in on the question of establishing vote centers in the county.
Vote centers are different from the kind of precinct-based polling locations that are currently used by Monroe County. At a precinct-based polling site, only voters from specified precincts can cast a ballot there. Vote centers are polling places where a voter who is registered in any precinct can cast a ballot. As of early 2025, 65 of Indiana's 92 counties have adopted vote centers.
A second hearing on vote centers, when an election board vote could be taken, is set for May 19. When the board does vote, enactment of vote centers has to be unanimous among the three members of the board. Making up the current board are: Monroe County's elected clerk, Nicole Browne: the Monroe County Democratic Party's appointee, John Fernandez: and the Monroe County Republican Party's appointee, Danny Shields.
The three election board members are looking ahead to a period of public feedback on the draft plan, which was developed by a committee established by the election board in mid-2023. The feedback period will be kicked off by Monday's hearing and has to last at least 30 days under state law.
The board is planning to accept written comments through an electronic form that will be disseminated in part through a QR code that will be included on postcards to be sent out to Monroe County residents.
Most of the people who spoke on Monday night were in favor of vote centers, except for a couple who seemed neutral.
Even if Monroe County does not decide to enact vote centers, it is conceivable that the state legislature could mandate that all counties in the state follow the example that two-thirds of Hoosier counties have already set. Earlier in the day, the State Senate approved on third and final reading a bill [HB 1633] that already passed the House. HB 16233 requires Indiana's secretary of state to study, among other things, the impact of requiring all counties to adopt vote centers, instead of precinct-based voting.
[Vote Center Feedback Form]
