Early voting numbers on the rise
Porter Co. numbers double, while Lake Co. sees a slight increase
Early voting in Porter County doubled between the 2015 and 2019 local elections, while Lake county saw a slight increase in early voting in the last two local elections, according to county data.
Voter turnout is “far lower” in local elections than in federal elections or state level elections, said Bernard Fraga, an assistant professor of political science at Indiana University in Bloomington.
“This is something we’ve observed for many years, and turnout is lower still when municipal elections are held at a different time from the state or federal races,” Fraga said.
But, in the last two local elections and the last two presidential elections, early voting and election day voting has increased, according to officials in Lake and Porter counties.
In Lake County, approximately 15.2% of registered voters cast a ballot in the 2015 municipal election on election day, while approximately 15.7% of registered
voters voted in the 2019 municipal election on Nov. 5, according to county data.
But, in-person early voting between the 2015 and 2019 municipal elections almost doubled - with 5,501 voters and 9,467 voters, respectfully, voting at an early voting polling location, according to county data.
Including travel board, or representatives that go to places like nursing homes to meet with voters, and mail-in votes, early voting increased in Lake County from 7,110 voters early voting to 10,894 voters early voting in the last two municipal elections, according to county data.
LeAnn Angerman, Lake County Board of Elections and Registration assistant director, said that early voting is increasing because it is convenient voting at any of the 11 early voting polling locations.
“I think we are doing a good job in letting people know what their voting options are,” Angerman said.
Lake County Democratic Party Chairman James Wieser said that while “turnout is obviously lower than we’d like,” the 2015 and 2019 election years are not a true comparison because not all communities had an election in 2019.
“It’s still not the turnout we’d hope and expect,” Wieser said. “It’s always a bit of a challenge.”
Recently, Republican state legislators forced Lake County to consolidate polling locations, which made it “difficult, not easier to vote,” Wieser said.
“We need to look closely at polling places … to make voting easier in the 2020 election,” Wieser said.
If every community had an election and polling locations were more convenient, Wieser said he believes that the 2019 election would’ve had a voter turnout in the 20% to 25% range.
Lake County Republican Chairman Dan Dernulc and Wieser said that local elections impact residents’ day-to-day lives from property taxes to street plowing.
“I wish people would get more involved in this election because it’s the one that really affects you,” Dernulc said.
Dernulc said he was “proud” of the polling location consolidation because it saved taxpayers money and made voting more efficient.
“I know it was a good thing to do,” Dernulc said. “Democrats and Republicans have to get together to bring people to the polls.”
In Porter County, voter turnout in local elections is on the rise, with 21.1% of registered voters casting a ballot in 2015 and 27.6% of registered voters casting a ballot in 2019, said Elections and Registration Office Director Sundae
Schoon.
In both of the recent local elections, early voting has increased from 2,031 resident voting in 2015 to 4,608 residents voting in 2019, Schoon said.
In-person early voting more than doubled between the last two local elections, with 1,613 people voting at one of five earlyvoting polling places in 2015 and 3,739 registered voters voting early at a polling location in 2019, Schoon said.
Schoon said she believes early voting is increasing because the county has done more outreach to inform voters about their options. Also, Schoon said the belief that voting only counts on Election Day is decreasing.
“I think people are seeing those votes are counted,” Schoon said.
But, voter turnout could still be higher, Schoon said, and the county is looking at ways to improve the turnout rate. One way, Schoon said, is by hiring young people to work polling locations to engage them in the voting process.
“The youth needs to get involved a little more,” Schoon said.
Porter County Republican Party Chairman Michael Simpson said that while voter turnout is improving, it is still “abysmally low.”
“It’s disappointing people don’t engage more because these are local elections and they most impact your day to day,” Simpson said. “It’s where they live. I can’t emphasize enough …. It’s the most critical.”
The 2019 Indiana Civic Health Index report highlights that voter registration and voter turnout is low when compared to civic engagement.
In 2014, Indiana ranked 47th in the country for voter turnout, and in 2018 the state moved to 43rd, according to the report.
In the 2016 presidential election, 58.3% of Indiana residents voted, with residents who didn’t vote stating they didn’t go to the polls because they “didn’t like the candidates or campaign issues,” according to the report.
In Porter County, 62.3% of registered voters and 56.8% of registered voters in Lake County voted in the 2016 election, according to county data.
Wieser said voter turnout is higher for presidential elections because “the global issues” attract voters.
“(Local elections don’t) have the same cachet when someone talks about the Affordable Care Act, health care and lower drug prices,” Wieser said. “It heightens people’s awareness. People are attuned to it.”
Angerman said voter turnout is higher in presidential elections because there is more news and conversation around national politics.
“I find that disappointing because municipal elections are impacting voters’ everyday lives,” Angerman said.