Marion County Prepares for Voting Changes

Next year, all absentee ballots in Marion County will be counted at a central location, not at individual precincts.

Part of Senate Bill 621 that was approved this past legislative session made changes to Marion County’s government structure including language essentially mandating a central location count, unless the election board unanimously voted against it.

Clerk Beth White pushed for the board to reverse the law, but didn’t have enough support.

She says now the county must prepare for the changes, but believes doing so is going to cost more money and man power.

"It is going to cost more money.  It is going to require more people," she said.  "I am putting the political parties on notice.  They will send me enough workers to successfully do this or we will find them another way.  We have to have sufficient people.  We have to have double the number of people.  The political parties have to send them to us."

The clerk’s office projects to do the count at a central location will cost about $600,000 more.

White says the change in process will likely lead to delays.

"I just feel like everyone in this community needs to be prepared additional resources, additional people, for a successful count that is now required in a different way," she said.