TERRE HAUTE — Voters formed lines early today at the polls in Vigo County, where many workers reported several hundred people cast ballots, yet most sites did not have long delays, officials say.
“We visited about 25 different precincts and even after the early rush, in the period from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., when there is a usual lull, there has been a steady vote, always with someone voting,” said Richard Shagley Jr., the Democrat assistant on the Vigo County Election Board.
“There has been no problems inside or outside the polls, but we are expecting a heavy voter turnout,” he said.
One difference in this election, Shagley said, is the large number of poll watchers, specifically Obama poll watchers, he said. The watchers are in at least half the polling precincts, he said.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had this kind of attention before, at least never had this interest from the outside. A lot of the watchers are attorneys, to make sure people’s voting rights are protected,” Shagley said. “The Obama campaign made a conscious effort not to challenge any voters, they are collecting data on the amount of votes and who, I think, to work with their get-out-the-vote campaign.”
Some of the watchers are local attorneys, such as former county judges Dexter Bolin and Jerry Kearns, he said.
Vigo County Clerk Pat Mansard said three machines — two optical scanners and one touch handicapped screen — had early problems, but were replaced with different machines prior to the polls opening.
One precinct, at the Terre Haute Housing Authority on North 19th Street, had an inspector show up late, requiring extra assistance to get voting machines operating, which was also done before the poll opened at 6 a.m., Mansard said.
“It has been good for us, not anything real exciting,” she said.
Mansard said about 14 students at Indiana State University had problems complying with the state’s photo ID law. “It is a ‘Catch 22’ so to speak for them, because they need to stay on their parent’s insurance, so they need to keep their driver’s license from those states, but are living here now. There is no fraud involved, but some are denied the right to vote,” she said.
Others, who cast a provisional ballot, must provide the state-required identification by noon Nov. 14.
WABASH VALLEY ROUNDUP
Early voter turnout unusually high in Vermillion County
Voter turnout has been unusually high so far today in Vermillion County, an election official said this afternoon.
Around 860 people voted early in the mostly rural county and many precincts had more than 100 ballots cast by 10 a.m. today, the official said.
Some problems with voting machines occurred early in the day in Vermillion County, but no voters were prevented from casting ballots and there were no problems further reported by early this afternoon, the official said.
Vermillion County has just one countywide contested race on the ballot. Political party officials said interest in the presidential race is driving voter participation.
Voting process uneventful in Parke County
Parke County voters today are enjoying an uneventful Election Day as far as the voting process, according to officials.
Kim Shorter, Parke County clerk, said as of about 4 p.m., everything had gone “just swell.”
No issues have arisen at any of the polling locations, and Shorter doesn’t anticipate any problems.
“Knock on wood!” she said with a laugh.
“Basically, people are just calling to find out where they’re registered to vote.”
As for voter turnout numbers, Shorter said they won’t be available until about 8 p.m.
Voting steady throughout day in Clay County
A spokeswoman for the Clay County Election Office said mid-afternoon Tuesday that voting was “pretty steady” throughout Brazil all day, and “some pretty good lines” had awaited voters at the rural polls early in the morning.
Officials expect lines to pick up again in the later afternoon once people get off work, however between three and four times the absentee and early voters already had cast ballots earlier.
“There isn’t going to be anyone left to vote at the polls,” she joked.
By afternoon, no problems at the Clay County polls had been reported, she said.
Heavy morning turnout in Sullivan County
Voter turnout has been heavy in Sullivan County, said Shelly Hiatt Parris, county clerk. It was especially heavy in the morning as people went to work, and she expects it to pick up after people finish work. “We’ve had lines, but nothing out the door,” she said.
She noted that absentee voting has been “really heavy” this year, with 1,382 walk-ins. “There’s big interest in the presidential elections,” she said.
She reported no problems at voting sites, although her office has taken a number of calls from people wanting to know if they are registered to vote and where they should vote.
No major problems at Clark County, Ill., polls
Clark County, Ill., clerk Bill Downey knocked on wood as he reported no major problems with voting so far today.
He said the problem voting officials encountered the most is with voters who’ve moved and forgot to change their address with the office to get a new polling location. Machines are running fine, he said.
Downey said if they had closed the doors at lunch for voting, they would have close to 50 percent voter turnout. There was around 65 percent turnout for the last presidential election, he said.
Lines are moving steadily also, he said with just five to six people waiting. He expects longer lines as people get off of work, but doesn’t think the wait will exceed 15 minutes.
There are two local contested races in Clark County — Circuit Clerk and County Board District 7. Polls will remain open until 7 p.m.
Polling sites busy in Edgar County, Ill.
Though polling sites have been busy in Edgar County, Ill., precinct judges have yet to report any issues.
County clerk Becky Kramer said if the amount of early absentee votes the office received is any indication of today’s turnout, she expects a “great percentage of voting today.”
Close to 1,500 people voted before today, she said, noting this was the first presidential election for early voting, or “no excuse” absentee.
The only problems reported have been minor, she said such as voters not knowing what precinct they should vote at or things not printing out right. She said the clerk’s office also has been busy fielding numerous phone calls.
There are no local contested races in Edgar County, but some areas do have referendums to vote on. Polls are open in Illinois until 7 p.m.
Election 2008
November 4, 2008
Election '08: Voting in Vigo County steady
- Election 2008
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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