Poll preparation is coming to an end as election day arrives.
For the last day of early voting, voters were lined up out the door of Election Central. People waited in line for at least 25 minutes to vote before noon when the polls closed, said Ann Collins, Republican candidate for treasurer.
“It’s exciting to see,” Collins said. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day, though.”
At noon, four U-Haul trucks will arrive to pick up the remaining voting equipment and ballots at Election Central and set up the 35 poll sites in Monroe County, said Tree Martin, chief deputy of the Monroe County Clerks Office.
Poll sites are set up one-by-one and checked thoroughly to ensure there will be no problems come election day with the voting machines, including electronic poll books, which allow election officials to review and process voter information; printers; e-slate ballots, the electronic voting system employed in Monroe County; and internet connectivity.
Martin said she expects all sites to be up between 7 and 10 p.m. Monday night.
On Election Day, Martin will oversee more than 400 inspectors and poll workers managing the 35 sites.
Martin said the signage outside Election Central should also be removed, but that is the candidates’ responsibility. They can choose which polling sites to place their signage at on election day.
Nelson Shaffer, Republican candidate for county commissioner, said after the polls close Monday he will remove his signs from outside Election Central and set them up outside various polling sites. Campaigning at Election Central is easy because everyone votes at one location, Shaffer said. However, now he will have to plan how to use his time most effectively.
Shaffer said though the experts suggest candidates remain at one polling site to speak to the most voters, Shaffer thinks he will move around and go with the ebb and flow of the sites. He will see which are most busy throughout the day and going there.
Amanda Barge, Democratic candidate and incumbent for county commissioner, said she is planning to campaign at locations such as Assembly Hall so she can talk to IU students.
“I’m so excited about tomorrow,” Barge said. “Students don’t always know who’s running down-ballot.”
However, Barge said most of all she is excited to see the results of the presidential election.
“Hopefully history will be made,” Barge said.
