In a perfect world, each Election Day would run smoothly, but in reality that doesn’t happen all the time. Angie Nussmeyer, public information officer for Marion County Clerk Beth White said that preparation begins many months before to ensure a successful Election Day.
The office ramps up their absentee operation process, vote-by-mail process and early votes in the clerk’s office. The voting equipment is also tested to make sure the machines tabulate results correctly.
“The most important part of the operation are our poll workers, and we work closely with the two major political parties to recruit people to serve as inspectors, clerks and judges on Election Day,” said Nussmeyer, who added that the clerk’s office relies on experienced workers, but everyone involved receives adequate training prior to Election Day.
There are also back-up inspectors to deploy from the City-County Building first thing if a poll worker fails to show up at their precinct by 5 a.m. on election morning and mechanics and supply runners out in the field to address machine issues. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In all, it takes more than 3,000 people to manage Election Day in Marion County.
In the event that there are problems at the polls, voters are instructed to ask to speak with the inspector who manages the precinct on Election Day. The inspector has access to a hotline where trained operators can troubleshoot the issue.
Nussmeyer said that if a voter does not feel as if their problem has been adequately addressed, they may call (317) 327-VOTE. After Election Day, voters are encouraged to share their feedback by emailing elections@indy.gov, calling (317) 327-VOTE or sending a note by mail. Voters can also call their preferred party headquarters.
“My best advice to voters is to persevere if they encounter obstacles on Election Day,” said Nussmeyer.
Below is other common Election Day challenges and ways to troubleshoot them.
Voter’s name is not in
the poll book
The poll book is a list of every registered voter in the precinct managed by the clerks on Election Day. There are a few reasons why a voter’s name might be omitted: the voter may not be registered to vote; the voter may be in the wrong polling location or precinct; the Voter Registration Office may have accidentally left the voter’s name off the poll book.
In all three cases, the voter can ask the Inspector to call the hotline. Hotline operators will confirm the registration status of the voter. If they were accidentally left off the poll book, Voter Registration provides a certificate of error number that is written in the poll book and the voter is allowed to cast a regular ballot. If the voter is in the wrong location, the poll worker can direct them to the correct location.
However, if the voter insists on voting in the wrong location, they can cast a provisional ballot, which most likely will not be counted.
Voter is in the wrong polling location
To find out where to vote, Marion County voters can call (317) 327-VOTE or use the online Voter Information Portal at www.indy.gov/VIP. The online VIP will also give photos of polling locations and provide driving directions. Both the phone number and the VIP can confirm voter registration status too.
Voter doesn’t have the proper ID
In Indiana, a voter must present a valid photo ID issued by the state of Indiana or federal government. If a voter does not have a proper ID, they can still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day. Voters who cast a provisional ballot have 10 days to bring their ID to the clerk’s office to have their vote counted. Many people do not realize that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles must give a voter a free ID if they tell the BMV clerks they need one for voting purposes. However, the individual must bring with them the supporting documents required to secure an ID.
Waiting in line at closing time
A voter must be in the chute at 6 p.m. on Election Day in order to cast their vote. The chute is defined as the 50-foot distance from the clerk’s table toward (and possibly even outside) the entrance of the polling location. The end of the chute should be identified with a sign that says “no campaigning beyond this point.” If there is a line at 6 p.m. that extends beyond the end of the chute, those voters waiting in line at 6 p.m. would still be permitted to vote.
