TERRE HAUTE — Indiana has about 540,000 new or updated voter registrations since January, and Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita predicts a 65-percent turnout of registered voters on Nov. 4. That would be the largest voter turnout since 1992.
And Vigo County voters can start casting absentee ballots Monday for the Nov. 4 general election.
Satellite voting sites are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays at The Meadows, Southland Shopping Center and Plaza North, and Mondays through Fridays at Indiana State University’s Cunningham Memorial Library.
All sites will be closed Oct. 13 in observance of Columbus Day. ISU’s site also will close Oct. 10 during the university’s fall break.
A photo identification issued by the state or federal government is required to vote. That includes a state driver’s license, U.S. passport or military identification card. It must have an expiration date, falling after Nov. 4, 2008.
An absentee ballot can be cast by a registered voter until noon Nov. 3.
Polls statewide on election day, Nov. 4, are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vigo County had 78,413 registered voters for the 2004 general presidential election. As of Thursday, the county had 77,875 registered voters, said Debbie Kirk, director of the Vigo County Voter Registration office. That number will change by Monday, the last day to register to vote. People can register from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vigo County Courthouse.
From Jan. 1 through Oct. 3, Vigo County had 4,553 new registered voters, plus 10,349 voters transferred their registration either to the county or within the county to a new address, Kirk said. In addition, 2,796 voter registrations were canceled, as the voter either moved out of the county or died.
Also, there were 692 duplicate registrations, Kirk said, meaning those people already were registered to vote.
Kirk said the voter registration numbers are about the same as four years ago because the county since July 2005 has been able to “clean up the records.”
“Our voter registration files are cleaner because of statewide voter registration,” Kirk said. “If someone in Vigo County registers in another county, I get a notice immediately on my work screen,” and that voter can be removed from the Vigo County voter registration, she said.
“We are also getting notices from the Indiana Department of Health for people who have passed away, such as if they lived in Terre Haute but went to a hospital in Indianapolis. We never got such [death] notices before, but now our notice comes from the state, as opposed to just the county health department,” Kirk said.
Voter registration has become an issue in itself this election. Kirk said the county’s Voter Registration office has handled several hundred registrations/transfers daily since the primary.
Rokita, a Republican, was among five secretaries of state invited by the Department of Defense to travel last week into Iraq and Afghanistan to inspect the absentee ballot process and meet with troops and military voting representatives.
The delegation also visited Landstuhl Air Force Base in Germany before returning. During the May 2008 primary in Indiana, voting among military personnel overseas was up more than 500 percent compared to the turnout in the 2006 primary, the last federal election cycle. To date, Hoosiers serving in the military stateside and abroad have requested more than 5,700 ballots for the November election, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
More than 4.4 million people are registered to vote in Indiana, marking a new record just days before the state’s voter registration deadline Monday. The number Thursday was 4,409,399 — or nearly 70 percent of the state’s 6.3 million residents. The previous record for a presidential election was 4.2 million in 2004, said Jim Gavin, spokesman for the Indiana Secretary of State.
At the top of the general election is the presidential race between Democrat Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain. Vice presidential candidates are Democrat Sen. Joseph Biden and Republican Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
The Hoosier ballot also will have 10 other presidential write-in candidates for Independent, Americas, Constitution, Green and Socialist parties.
Hoosiers also will decide whether to re-elect Gov. Mitch Daniels and Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, or Democrat challengers Jill Long Thompson and Dennie Oxley, or Libertarian candidates Andy Horning and Lisa Kelly.
Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter is not seeking re-election, which opens that office to two new candidates — Republican Greg Zoeller and Democrat Linda Pence. Also, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed did not seek re-election after serving four terms. Republican Tony Bennett and Democrat Richard D. Wood are vying for that office.
In the Wabash Valley, voters will determine whether to re-elect U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Evansville, or elect Republican challenger Greg Goode of Terre Haute to the Eighth District congressional seat. In the Indiana General Assembly, Rep. F. Dale Grubb, D-Covington, is uncontested in House District 42. He is among 26 of 100 House seats uncontested. Half the 50 Indiana Senate seats are up for election, with 10 uncontested.
Other House races include District 43 between incumbent Rep. Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute, and Republican Ryan J. Cummins; District 44 with incumbent Rep. Amos Thomas, R-Brazil, and Democrat challenger Nancy A. Michael and Libertarian candidate Darrel Goldman.
In District 44, incumbent Rep. Bruce A. Borders, R-Jasonville, is challenged by Democrat Rick Marshall. In District 46, incumbent Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Riley, faces Republican Bob Heaton. In the state Senate District 37, which includes the northern third of Clay County, incumbent Sen. Richard Bray, R-Martinsville, faces Democrat Joseph F. Osborn.
In Vigo County, Republican Daniel W. Kelly and Democrat Michael R. Rader are vying for Vigo County Superior Court Division 5 judge; Democrat incumbent Patricia Mansard is running against Republican Bill Treadway for county clerk; Republican Bruce Royer faces Democrat Nancy Allsup for county recorder; and incumbent Democrat Paul Mason and Republican Brad Anderson are vying for District 3 county commissioner.
Voters will select three at-large seats on the Vigo County Council. Candidates are Democrats Mark D. Bird (incumbent), William C. Bryan, Ed Ping and Republicans Mike Morris (incumbent), Tim Hennessy and Angela Miller-Treadway.
Vigo County School Board candidates in District 1 are incumbents Mel Burks and Jacqueline L. Lower and challenger Larry Faulkner. For School Board District 3, candidates are Donald V. Gamble and incumbent Paul G. Lockhart.
Voters in Vigo County will find four incumbents and one newcomer uncontested on the November ballot.
Incumbent Democrat Phillip I. Adler is uncontested for a third term as judge of Vigo County Superior Court Division 2. Incumbent David R. Crockett, a Democrat, is uncontested for a second term as Vigo County treasurer. Incumbent Dr. Roland M. Kohr, a pathologist, is uncontested for a second consecutive term as Vigo County coroner. Kohr had served two prior consecutive terms from 1989 to 1996 as county coroner. Democrat Judith A. Anderson is uncontested for a third term as District 2 county commissioner.
Democrat Timothy M. Seprodi is uncontested for a first term as Vigo County auditor.
Voters in Harrison Township will see a referendum question about a township assessor.
Under Indiana’s property tax reform bill, now called House Enrolled Act 1001, township assessors were eliminated. However, for townships with more than 15,000 parcels, Hoosier voters will determine if that responsibility should be given to the county assessor, thus consolidating another tax-supported office.
The question is, “Should the assessing duties of the elected township assessor in the township be transferred to the county auditor?”
The question will only be on the ballot for eight precincts, all in Harrison Township.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Election 2008
October 6, 2008
ELECTION '08: Voter turnout looks to be large
- Election 2008
-
-
Vigo County election results
More than 44,000 ballots were cast Tuesday of the nearly 80,000 registered voters, giving Vigo County a 55.76 percent voter turnout. Voters who cast provisional ballots have until noon Nov. 14 to show proper identification in the clerk’s office. Members of the Election Board will certify the results by the end of Nov. 14.
-
Obama triumphs, will be first black U.S. president
Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation’s first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. “Change has come,” he told a huge throng of jubilant supporters.
- Ellsworth downs Goode in District 8 In a strong Democratic election year, U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth was re-elected Tuesday to a second term as the 8th District congressman representing southwestern and western Indiana.
- House District 44: Former Greencastle major wins A former Greencastle mayor will head off to the Statehouse come January, and she said Tuesday night she’s ready to go.
-
YOUTH VOTE: Sarah Scott students elect Obama, Daniels
Tribune-Star
Students and staff at Sarah Scott Middle School voted to make Barack Obama president and Mitch Daniels governor during a mock election Tuesday. - Vigo picks presidential winner again Vigo County voters chose Democrat Sen. Barack Obama as president, maintaining its status as a “bellwether” county, picking the winner in every presidential election since 1892 with only two exceptions.
- Harrison Township opts to keep assessor Voters in eight precincts in Harrison Township opted to retain a township assessor under a referendum vote on Tuesday’s election ballot. That’s was good news to Mick Love, who will retain his elected seat as Harrison Township assessor. The final tally on Public Question No. 1 was 6,587 for a “yes,” which would remove the office, to 9,506 for “no” which would retain the office.
- House District 46: Tincher pulls out win The race between Democrat incumbent Rep. Vern Tincher and Republican challenger Bob Heaton for the Indiana House District 46 seat went down to the wire Tuesday night, with Tincher pulling out a win.
- Republican Daniels wins 2nd term as Indiana governor Republican Mitch Daniels defeated former Democratic congresswoman Jill Long Thompson on Tuesday to win a second term as governor, but he may need a supply of olive branches to advance his agenda if Democrats retain control of the Indiana House.
- House District 45: Borders wins close race The Indiana House District 45 race between incumbent Republican Bruce Borders and Democrat Rick Marshall was too close to call for much of the evening Tuesday, with the final outcome apparent near midnight.
- House District 43: Kersey remains in seat Rep. Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute, will remain in the Indiana General Assembly for another two years, as the 12-year incumbent defeated Republican challenger Ryan Cummins for the House District 43 seat.
- Clay County's turnout one for record books Clay County’s voter turnout was one for the record books, officials said Tuesday evening.
- Parke County incumbents retain their seats Parke County incumbents retained their seats in Tuesday’s election. Republican County At-large Councilmen Dale Gerrish and John Pratt will be joined by fellow Republican J.B. Butler, a newcomer who received more votes than Gerrish and Pratt. The three GOP candidates won over the three Democrats in that race.
- Nearly 64 percent of registered Vermillion voters cast ballots Vermillion County voters turned out in big numbers Tuesday to hand victories to Democrats up and down the ballot. Nearly 64 percent of registered voters turned out in the mostly rural county, which includes the towns of Clinton and Newport.
- Sullivan County votes Repbulican in national election For the second time in its traditionally Democratic history, Sullivan County voted Republican in the national election. Overall, Democrats saw unexpected upsets, incumbent Republicans lost a few offices, and voter turnout here was exceptionally high, as expected.
- Indiana State students await impact of their votes Ashley Roce sat in the Cunningham Memorial Library eating pizza with her friends, waiting to see the impact of her first vote in a presidential election.
- Indiana transplants watch from east coast Indiana has done what couldn’t have been predicted in 2004: It has gone Blue — and by so doing, the Hoosier state has broken its 44-year tradition of being a Red state, and helped put a Democrat in the White House.
-
Voter turnout in Clark County, Ill., highest it's ever been
Voter turnout in Clark County, Ill., was the largest it has ever been, but it wasn’t as high as County Clerk Bill Downey had hoped for.
- Presidential election turnout down in Edgar County Despite an increase in registered voters for Tuesday’s election, turnout was lower than the last presidential election in Edgar County, Ill.
- Incumbents easily win school board seats Three Vigo County School Board incumbents readily won re-election Tuesday. In District 1, Mel Burks and Jackie Lower retained their seats, defeating Larry Faulkner. In unofficial results, Lower had 24,321 votes, Burks, 19,253, and Faulkner, 11,383.
- Democratic Commissioner Mason gets another four years Vigo County voters on Tuesday returned Democratic Commissioner Paul Mason for an additional four-year term as one of the county’s top executive officials.
- Rader wins Vigo judge Superior Court Divisioin 5 The winner of Vigo County judge for Superior Court Division 5 is Dr. Michael Rader. With 23,636 votes, or 56 percent, Rader defeated Republican challenger Dan Kelly, who earned 18,216 votes, or 44 percent. Totals are unofficial results from the Vigo County Election office.
- Allsup defeats Royer in Vigo Recorder race In a night that was friendly to Democrats, Nancy Allsup won the office of Vigo County Recorder, defeating Republican Bruce Royer. Allsup, with 26,486 votes, or 65 percent, celebrated her victory Tuesday night with friends and family at the Paradise Pavilion in West Terre Haute.
- Mansard wins another term as Vigo County clerk Democrat Patricia “Pat” Mansard has won another term as Vigo County clerk. Mansard, who has served as county clerk for 20 years, was busily working Tuesday night to finish up election results, but she took a minute to savor her win.
- FINAL: VIGO COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Final election night results from Vigo County
- FINAL: VERMILLION COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS 2008 Election results from Vermillion County
- FINAL: CLAY COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Election results from across Clay County
- FINAL: PARKE COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Election results from Parke County
- FINAL: SULLIVAN COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS 2008 Results from Sullivan County
-
NEW: Vigo County’s election record cited by Karl Rove
Karl Rove, the man credited with orchestrating President George W. Bush’s two successful campaigns for the presidency, reportedly singled out Vigo County as a place to watch tonight when election returns start coming in.
- More Election 2008 Headlines
-
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Fans 'Speechless' Over Houston's Death
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Recording Superstar Whitney Houston Dead at 48
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Snow Strands Italian Towns
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Video of M.I.A's Obscene Halftime Gesture
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Stocks Fall Sharply As Greek Deal Is Held Up
Today in History for Tuesday, February 12th
Exclusive Video: Bobbi Kristina Leaving Hospital
2012 Grammys: Rihanna
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
2012 Grammys: Taylor Swift
Exclusive Video - Whitney's Bodybag
FUEL TV: Punk Payback Gym tips
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Lusetich: AT&T Rd. 3 recap
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
Madonna's Daughter Shaves Head
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Absolute Lin-sanity
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Test on Comforter in Powell Unit Shows Blood
Hero Driver Saves Kids From Burning Bus
Funeral to be held for Powell boys
