Early voting continues with 633 already casting their ballots

Mike Emery, Richmond Palladium-Item
·2 min read
2022 Election campaign buttons with the USA flag - Illustration
2022 Election campaign buttons with the USA flag - Illustration

RICHMOND, Ind. — More than 600 Wayne County voters have already cast their ballots during in-person absentee voting.

While that voting continues at the Wayne County Courthouse, the deadline to request mailed absentee ballots is 11:59 p.m. Thursday. Wayne County voters may request absentee ballots be mailed to them five ways:

  • In person at the Voter Registration Office on the second floor of the courthouse, which is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily;

  • By mail, to the Voter Registration Office at 301 E. Main St., Richmond, IN 47374;

  • By fax at 765-973-9490;

  • By email at voters@co.wayne.in.us; and

  • Online through the Indiana Voter Portal at indianavoters.com.

Wayne County Clerk Debbie Berry said Wednesday morning that 633 voters have signed in to vote at the courthouse since voting began Oct. 12.

"Our numbers are really up," Berry said.

Even the first day had 42 voters when it usually sees only about a dozen Berry said. Other than that first day, the lowest voter total has been 63 and the peak has been 103 voters in a single day.

Berry reminded voters that voting straight party does not make selections for races where more than one selection is required, such as council races. It also does not make a selection for nonpartisan school board races, whether judges should be retained or for questions. Locally, a ballot questions asks whether Richmond Power and Light should be permitted to withdraw from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's jurisdiction.

In-person early voting continues at the Voter Registration Office, including 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the next two Saturdays, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. It will also be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays through Nov. 4 and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 7.

Early voting opportunities will expand to vote centers beginning Saturday. The First Bank Kuhlman Center vote center will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 29 and Nov. 5.

Four vote centers will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday from Oct. 31 through Nov. 4. Those are First Bank Kuhlman Center, 861 N. Salisbury Road, Richmond; First English Lutheran Church, 2727 E. Main St., Richmond; Golay Center, 1007 E. Main St., Cambridge City; and Hagerstown New Testament Church, 752 W. Main St., Hagerstown.

Those four vote centers will be among eight open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 8. The additional four are Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 1108 N. H St., Richmond; First Baptist Church, 1601 S. A St., Richmond; Lifespring North Church, 5600 U.S. 27 N., Richmond; and Centerville Christian Church's Family Center, 106 E. Main St., Centerville.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Early voting continues with 633 already casting their ballots