Of Ballot Frays And Poll Delays
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A last-minute question by Democrats and a few incomplete ballots kept Kosciusko County election workers scrambling early today.
The election board decided Monday to discontinue the traditional use of sheriff's deputies to distribute absentee ballots after Kosciusko County Democrat Chairman Steve Haines questioned the practice.
According to election laws, ballots are supposed to be distributed to individual precincts by Democrats and Republicans together.
Haines took his complaint to county clerk Marsha McSherry, who is one of three election board members. After conferring with other election board members - Stan Pequignot and Steve Hearn - McSherry informed Haines and Republican county chairman Mike Miner that the policy would be changed.
That meant Haines and Miner had to quickly find six people each to distribute the estimated 1,500 ballots to the 62 polling places today.
The ballots, which are sealed in an envelope, must be delivered to precincts by 6 p.m. or would be excluded from the count, McSherry said.
The change is apparently the end of a long tradition.
"I talked with the state election commission and they said that's the way it's supposed to be done, but I think it's been done (with deputies) since Jesus was a baby here," McSherry said.
"I've been here 11 years and the sheriff's deputies have always delivered the ballots and it's never been a problem," she said.
"If you can't trust the sheriff's department, who can you trust?" McSherry asked.
The sheriff's department is overseen by Al Rovenstine, a high ranking member of the Republican Central Committee.
"Basically, if you've got Al Rovenstine in charge of it, you've got one party in charge of the ballots instead of two - and that's illegal," Haines said.
He said the question was aired because of potential voter fraud.
"There's always been concern for the way the elections are run in this county," Haines said.
Miner disagreed, saying there's never been a hint of any possible fraud in the past.
Haines said he learned of the law Sunday night while looking for other aspects of election law.
Earlier, Democrats filed a complaint with the election board that resulted in McSherry being banned from entering the Justice Building room where absentee ballots are stored.
As a result, Haines said, he believes "hard feelings" have lingered.
"It just seems like a disorganized mess this year," Haines said.
McSherry said she needed to be in the absentee ballot room to hep administer the election, and noted that other Democrat candidates as well had been in the room.
Haines said he spent much of his time Monday on the phone recruiting people to deliver ballots.
"With our limited Democrat resources in the county we had everybody working," Haines said.
New drivers were beginning delivery of ballots late this morning.
The change in policy will cost taxpayers. Although deputies delivered the ballots in the past at no expense, the election board is required to pay the new workers $45 plus mileage.
The total additional cost could be about $700.
Those costs are not budgeted, and McSherry will have to seek additional funds from the county.
Whereas deputies were familiar with polling places, McSherry said the new workers will likely have to be familiarized with the assignment.
"I think it's going to be rather difficult," she said.
Miner said he was unsure how the issue will be handled in the future, but Haines said the change in delivery of absentee ballots should be permanent.
"It's state law. It's the way it needs to be done," Haines said.
Meanwhile, voters in four precincts - Seward 2, Clay, Lake and Franklin - faced delays early this morning after a candidate's name was left off the ballot in the race for Indiana's State Senate race in district 18.
The name of Charles Ellison, a Democrat, was left off the ballot, apparently because he was a late entry into the race and state officials failed to inform the printer, said a source in the clerk's office.
Kosciusko County Election Board officials immediately went to the polling sites to correct the problem so voting would not be delayed any longer than necessary. [[In-content Ad]]
A last-minute question by Democrats and a few incomplete ballots kept Kosciusko County election workers scrambling early today.
The election board decided Monday to discontinue the traditional use of sheriff's deputies to distribute absentee ballots after Kosciusko County Democrat Chairman Steve Haines questioned the practice.
According to election laws, ballots are supposed to be distributed to individual precincts by Democrats and Republicans together.
Haines took his complaint to county clerk Marsha McSherry, who is one of three election board members. After conferring with other election board members - Stan Pequignot and Steve Hearn - McSherry informed Haines and Republican county chairman Mike Miner that the policy would be changed.
That meant Haines and Miner had to quickly find six people each to distribute the estimated 1,500 ballots to the 62 polling places today.
The ballots, which are sealed in an envelope, must be delivered to precincts by 6 p.m. or would be excluded from the count, McSherry said.
The change is apparently the end of a long tradition.
"I talked with the state election commission and they said that's the way it's supposed to be done, but I think it's been done (with deputies) since Jesus was a baby here," McSherry said.
"I've been here 11 years and the sheriff's deputies have always delivered the ballots and it's never been a problem," she said.
"If you can't trust the sheriff's department, who can you trust?" McSherry asked.
The sheriff's department is overseen by Al Rovenstine, a high ranking member of the Republican Central Committee.
"Basically, if you've got Al Rovenstine in charge of it, you've got one party in charge of the ballots instead of two - and that's illegal," Haines said.
He said the question was aired because of potential voter fraud.
"There's always been concern for the way the elections are run in this county," Haines said.
Miner disagreed, saying there's never been a hint of any possible fraud in the past.
Haines said he learned of the law Sunday night while looking for other aspects of election law.
Earlier, Democrats filed a complaint with the election board that resulted in McSherry being banned from entering the Justice Building room where absentee ballots are stored.
As a result, Haines said, he believes "hard feelings" have lingered.
"It just seems like a disorganized mess this year," Haines said.
McSherry said she needed to be in the absentee ballot room to hep administer the election, and noted that other Democrat candidates as well had been in the room.
Haines said he spent much of his time Monday on the phone recruiting people to deliver ballots.
"With our limited Democrat resources in the county we had everybody working," Haines said.
New drivers were beginning delivery of ballots late this morning.
The change in policy will cost taxpayers. Although deputies delivered the ballots in the past at no expense, the election board is required to pay the new workers $45 plus mileage.
The total additional cost could be about $700.
Those costs are not budgeted, and McSherry will have to seek additional funds from the county.
Whereas deputies were familiar with polling places, McSherry said the new workers will likely have to be familiarized with the assignment.
"I think it's going to be rather difficult," she said.
Miner said he was unsure how the issue will be handled in the future, but Haines said the change in delivery of absentee ballots should be permanent.
"It's state law. It's the way it needs to be done," Haines said.
Meanwhile, voters in four precincts - Seward 2, Clay, Lake and Franklin - faced delays early this morning after a candidate's name was left off the ballot in the race for Indiana's State Senate race in district 18.
The name of Charles Ellison, a Democrat, was left off the ballot, apparently because he was a late entry into the race and state officials failed to inform the printer, said a source in the clerk's office.
Kosciusko County Election Board officials immediately went to the polling sites to correct the problem so voting would not be delayed any longer than necessary. [[In-content Ad]]