Poll workers undergo training before primary elections
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - The St. Joseph County Election Board convened earlier today to train poll workers for the upcoming primary elections.
Things got underway on Sunday with the pledge of allegiance. The poll trainees then watch an instructional PowerPoint that lasts about an hour and a half, followed by a short test to confirm their knowledge of election rules.
“We have close to 500 poll workers. Half on that is Republican, half of that is Democrat. And I think we’re close to the 500 mark. St. Joe County is obviously a bigger county in Indiana, and we have 41 vote center locations. So there are a lot of workers who need to be in place. A lot of people need to know what they’re doing on Tuesday,” said Benjamin Horvath, Republican Appointee for the St. Joseph County Election Board.
The polls open this Tuesday, May 3rd, at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.
You will need a valid photo ID issued by the state of Indiana or the US government, and the name on your ID has to conform to the name on the voter registration record. This means it doesn’t have to exact match (e.g., Robert vs. Bob), but the poll worker must be able to confirm your identity before you are allowed to vote.
“There are all kinds of checks and balances, and I think Indiana is a good state. We have pretty good election laws in place. And it’s important because both parties need to know that the system is functioning, that it is working the way we intended it to. Regardless of which side wins, we need to have safe, secure, and free elections in place, so the process is so important in that regard. I would just encourage people to get involved regardless of Republican or Democrat; we need people who are willing to do the work. It’s an important job, and our government couldn’t function without volunteers.”
The race to watch in St. Joseph County is the District 1 County Commissioner race, as longtime commissioner Andy Kostielney is stepping down to spend more time with his family. There are two Democrats and two Republicans vying for the nomination to run for the open seat.
The two Democrats competing for their party’s nomination are Mike McManus and Donald Westerhausen, and Carl Baxmeyer and Robert Wood are contending for the Republican nomination.
And there’s still time to vote early! You can vote early tomorrow, Monday, May 2nd, in the lobby of the County-City Building.
To view the primary poll worker training form, click here.
To find a vote center location near you, click here.
To view the vote center map, click here.
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