Clerk’s Office preparing for 2022 election: Less absentee ballots, new machines

November 17, 2021 | 12:09 am

Updated November 16, 2021 | 10:30 pm

Photo from Daviess County Fiscal Court

The Daviess County Clerk’s Office is already preparing for the 2022 election with new machines and a return to fewer absentee ballots.

During the last election during the pandemic, anybody could request an absentee ballot. For 2022, County Clerk Leslie McCarty said that it is back to usual, meaning the voter will need to provide an excuse as to why they need an absentee ballot.

“We had a pretty big staff last time, our poll workers were answering the phone calls in the office and then in the basement during the whole processing. This time, it won’t be like that,” McCarty said.

Right now the office anticipates that the mail-in absentee voting will be returning at a slightly higher rate than in previous years, with the exclusion of 2020.

When it comes to in-house absentee balloting, the office plans to use Room 107 of the Courthouse to allow that option for voters as they have in the past. This decision is pending law clarification. 

As for early voting, they are currently set on doing three locations dedicated to voting on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Election Day. This decision will allow for 27 hours of early voting prior to the election. 

Additionally, the Clerk’s Office received new voting machines at the end of last month. Per usual protocol, the office will be dedicating time to inspect all machines before they are put to use. The team is currently set to inspect them on Dec. 14.

Lisa Leonard, the Democratic Representative, said she worries that there may not be enough poll workers for each party. Nonetheless, she is in contact with previous workers and any volunteers that would like to help will be able to sign up after those spots are taken. 

November 17, 2021 | 12:09 am

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