Early voting starts Wednesday, deadline to register is Tuesday
MUNCIE, Ind. − With early voting starting Wednesday at the Delaware County Building downtown, the county election board conducted a test of voting equipment Thursday and all worked well, said Delaware County Clerk Rick Spangler.
This will be the last election that the county will use their current inventory of vote machines, purchased 20 years ago from MicroVote General Corp. The election board agreed Thursday to upgrade to new models provided by MicroVote at a cost of about $670,000.
Spangler said the machines will be paid for interest free over three years through the clerk's office budget. The county council previously authorized the purchase, The new machines will have color screens and will also feature VVPAT, which provides a paper audit trail of votes cast. That feature is now required by the state government as a vote security measure.
The new machines will go into service in May 2024 for use in what will be the 2024 presidential primary election in Indiana.
Register voters in Delaware County can start voting in the Muncie municipal election on Wednesday, Oct. 11. The last day to register to vote in the upcoming election is this coming Tuesday, Oct. 10. Voter can register at the county voter registration office inside the county building, online through the state website or at the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices throughout Indiana. Normally the registration deadline would fall on a Monday but the period to register is being extended due to the Columbus Day holiday falling on Monday.
Who is on the November ballot in Muncie?
On the November ballot Muncie voters will choose a mayor, the nine members of the city council and a clerk treasurer. Some smaller towns in Delaware County will also choose some town officials. The Muncie City Judge, Democrat Amanda Dunnuck, is running unopposed. The biggest community in the county classified as a town, Yorktown, is not having an election this year. It is on an election cycle that mirrors county government and have its municipal offices up for election in 2024 and 2026.
In Muncie, Republican Dan Ridenour is seeking re-election as his first four-year term as mayor approaches its end. His Democratic opponent is Jeff Robinson, president of the Muncie City Council.
While the the city council shows a majority of five Republicans, Robinson has been chosen three times to serve as president of the council. One Republican, Tony Ingram, who serves an at-large spot on council, often votes with the Democrats on council and has supported Robinson as president. Ingram attempted to run for re-election this year but was removed from the ballot by the election board after he failed to completely fill out his paperwork when filing to run for office.
Numerous council members who were elected to council in 2019 failed to remain on council for various reasons. A majority, five, have been placed on council through a caucus of their respective parties.
As Muncie heads into voting, the major issues involve development in the city, infrastructure maintenance and whether to work on attracting growth or focus on service to people already in the city.
The ballot for the 2023 municipal election in Delaware County is as follows:
2023 GENERAL ELECTION
Muncie Mayor Select 1
Ridenour, Dan Republican
Robinson, Jeff Democratic
Muncie City Clerk Select 1
Munson, Belinda M. Republican
Norman, Norma Democratic
Muncie City Judge Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Dunnuck, Amanda C. Democratic
Muncie, IN
Muncie City Council, At-Large Select 3
Basham, Dale Republican
Clark, Aaron Republican
Selvey, Ro Republican
Barber, Audie Democratic
Juip, Holly Democratic
McIntosh, William (Billy Mac) Democratic
Smith, Steve L. Libertarian
Muncie City Council, District 1 Select 1
Green, Jeff Republican
Craig, Steve Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 2 Select 1
Taulbee, Josh Republican
Evans Powell, Nora Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 3 Select 1
Taulbee, Nicholas (Nick) Republican
Garrett, Brandon Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 4 Select 1
Marshall, Brad Republican
Gullion, Sara Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 5 Select 1
Popp, Andrew Republican
Dishman, Jerry D. Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 6 Select 1
Temple, Kyle Republican
Mason, Harold D. Jr. Democratic
Daleville Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
Roberts, Amy Republican
No Candidate Filed Democratic
Daleville Town Council, At-Large Select 5
Brogan, Steve Republican
Hurley, Brandie Republican
Jones, Adam Republican
Roberts, Thomas (Tom) Republican
Walters, William Republican
Scott, Marcus Joe Democratic
Eaton Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
DeWees, Bridgett S. Democratic
Eaton Town Council, District 1 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
No candidate filed Democratic
Wells, Roger D. Independent
Eaton Town Council District 2 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Reese, Dustin Democratic
Eaton Town Council District 3 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Welsh, Teresa L. Democratic
Eaton Town Council District 4 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Deckman, Meghan Democratic
Eaton Town Council, District 5 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Blankenship, Daniel Democratic
Gaston Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Pittenger, Traci L. Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 1 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Gleeson, Katina Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 2 Select 1
Holland, Robert Republican
No candidate filed Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 3 Select 1
Petro, Kameron J. Republican
Ellison, Brett A. Democratic
Albany Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
Hamilton, Joyce L. Republican
No Candidate Filed
Albany Town Council, At-Large Select 1
Mosier, Dillon J. Republican
Dunnuck, Randy Democratic
Albany Town Council, District 1 Select 1
Reed, Spencer Republican
Albany Town Council, District 3 Select 1
Davis, Jeff Republican
No Candidate Filed Democratic
Selma Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No Candidate Filed Republican
Devine, Jennifer M. Democratic
Selma Town Council, At-Large Select 5
Buffin, Dale W. Republican
Castle (Vester), Danielle Republican
Cox, Cynthia (Cindy) A. Democratic
Devine, Brent Democratic
Glaze, Jensen R. Democratic
Morvilius, Bruce Democratic
Vorhees, Randy L. Democratic
2023 GENERAL ELECTION
Muncie Mayor Select 1
Ridenour, Dan Republican
Robinson, Jeff Democratic
Muncie City Clerk Select 1
Munson, Belinda M. Republican
Norman, Norma Democratic
Muncie City Judge Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Dunnuck, Amanda C. Democratic
Muncie, IN
Muncie City Council, At-Large Select 3
Basham, Dale Republican
Clark, Aaron Republican
Selvey, Ro Republican
Barber, Audie Democratic
Juip, Holly Democratic
McIntosh, William (Billy Mac) Democratic
Smith, Steve L. Libertarian
Muncie City Council, District 1 Select 1
Green, Jeff Republican
Craig, Steve Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 2 Select 1
Taulbee, Josh Republican
Evans Powell, Nora Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 3 Select 1
Taulbee, Nicholas (Nick) Republican
Garrett, Brandon Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 4 Select 1
Marshall, Brad Republican
Gullion, Sara Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 5 Select 1
Popp, Andrew Republican
Dishman, Jerry D. Democratic
Muncie City Council, District 6 Select 1
Temple, Kyle Republican
Mason, Harold D. Jr. Democratic
Daleville Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
Roberts, Amy Republican
No Candidate Filed Democratic
Daleville Town Council, At-Large Select 5
Brogan, Steve Republican
Hurley, Brandie Republican
Jones, Adam Republican
Roberts, Thomas (Tom) Republican
Walters, William Republican
Scott, Marcus Joe Democratic
Eaton Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
DeWees, Bridgett S. Democratic
Eaton Town Council, District 1 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
No candidate filed Democratic
Wells, Roger D. Independent
Eaton Town Council District 2 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Reese, Dustin Democratic
Eaton Town Council District 3 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Welsh, Teresa L. Democratic
Eaton Town Council District 4 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Deckman, Meghan Democratic
Eaton Town Council, District 5 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Blankenship, Daniel Democratic
Gaston Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Pittenger, Traci L. Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 1 Select 1
No candidate filed Republican
Gleeson, Katina Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 2 Select 1
Holland, Robert Republican
No candidate filed Democratic
Gaston Town Council, District 3 Select 1
Petro, Kameron J. Republican
Ellison, Brett A. Democratic
Albany Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
Hamilton, Joyce L. Republican
No Candidate Filed
Albany Town Council, At-Large Select 1
Mosier, Dillon J. Republican
Dunnuck, Randy Democratic
Albany Town Council, District 1 Select 1
Reed, Spencer Republican
Albany Town Council, District 3 Select 1
Davis, Jeff Republican
No Candidate Filed Democratic
Selma Town Clerk-Treasurer Select 1
No Candidate Filed Republican
Devine, Jennifer M. Democratic
Selma Town Council, At-Large Select 5
Buffin, Dale W. Republican
Castle (Vester), Danielle Republican
Cox, Cynthia (Cindy) A. Democratic
Devine, Brent Democratic
Glaze, Jensen R. Democratic
Morvilius, Bruce Democratic
Vorhees, Randy L. Democratic
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Early voting starts Wednesday, deadline to register is Tuesday
