It was a busy first day of early voting on Tuesday at the Kosciusko County Clerk’s office on North Lake Street.
County Clerk Ann Torpy says 379 early voters came out for the first day of early voting, which is more than double the 2016 count of 162 and significantly higher than 2018’s first day which only saw 127. A line of voters was waiting outside of the clerk’s office at 8 AM Tuesday according to Torpy.
Overall, 2016 saw a total of 4,984 in-person voters, which is a number Torpy said she is expecting to reach, if not double that number. 2018 saw 3,458 in-person voters.
When talking mail-in ballots, 2020 so far has had 3,967 with two weeks to go. That’s more that triple the number of mail-in ballots for the 2016 election, when only 1,176 ballots were submitted through that method.
Torpy is reminding voters that they can expect lines at most polling locations on Election Day and during early voting.
STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING
Torpy also released information for voters who plan on voting straight party and what you need to do at the polls.
1. To vote a straight party ticket for one political party’s candidates, except for candidates
described in (2) below, press the button next to the political party’s name.
2. To vote for any candidate for County Council At-Large, you must press the button next to each candidate you wish to vote for. Your straight party vote will not count as a vote for any candidate for County Council At-Large
3. If you wish to vote for a candidate seeking a nonpartisan office, or on a public question, you must press the button next to the appropriate place on this ballot.
