The Nov. 8 Municipal Election will occur soon and voters are being reminded about important information from the office of County Clerk Beth White.
Voter registration deadline for 2011 passed on Tuesday, Oct. 11. However, citizens who are not registered to vote can still play a role in the election by volunteering with a campaign and encouraging family and friends who are registered to vote on Election Day.
Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 10 for Marion County voters. The clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the west wing of the City-County Building, and voters should use the Delaware Street entrance for easy access. Free parking (with a voucher) is available at the pay lots at Market and Alabama streets. Folks will need to pre-pay, but the cost will be refunded after presenting a voucher from the Election Board office. The complete schedule is as follows:
- Oct. 10 through Oct. 14: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 17 through Oct. 21: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 22 and Oct. 23: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 24 through Oct. 28: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 29 and Oct. 30: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 31 to Nov. 4: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Nov. 5 and Nov. 6: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Last Day. Nov. 7: 8 a.m. to noon.
Absentee ballots to vote-by-mail are available. Hoosiers who want to vote by mail must first submit an application, checking off a state-approved reason in order to receive a ballot. Those reasons include being over 65, working as a poll worker or being a voter with a disability. Once the application is approved, an absentee ballot is mailed to the voter along with a postage-paid return envelope. Civilian voters have until Election Day, Nov. 8 to return their ballot. Forms are available at www.indy.gov/election or by calling (317) 327-VOTE.
Poll workers are still needed for the upcoming election. On Election Day, there are about 3,000 people working to run a successful election. To serve, you must live in Marion County, be a registered voter and attend training. The precinct positions include inspector, judge and clerk. Inspectors are the “boss” of a precinct, making sure the site runs smoothly. Clerks process voters in the poll book and handle ballot security, while judges provide assistance to voters and help the inspector. Inspectors must work a full day (about 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and clerks and judges can choose to work a full or half day. If interested, voters should reach out to their local political party or call the Election Board office at (317) 327-VOTE for more information.
