Low turnout: Voters scarce as primary early voting begins

Tuesday brought a low morning turnout on the first day of early voting in the primary for Bartholomew County, election officials said.

At NexusPark, 2380 25th St., only 13 votes had been cast during the first two hours at the voting center inside the former JC Penney store, Bartholomew County Democratic Party chairman Steve Schoettmer said.

By noon, only 16 Republicans and 12 Democrats had cast their ballots during the morning hours, Republican election clerk Jerry Simo said.

Schoettmer, who is also a Democratic election judge, said voters may have gotten confused with all the new fencing and construction equipment on the west side of the former mall.

“I knew I was supposed to park in the parking lot, but I went down to the former Carson’s parking lot only to find this big fence,” Schoettmer said. “I wasn’t sure where to go until I saw the campaign signs and discovered I was one parking lot over from where I should be.”

During the noon hour, only four more residents cast their ballots during what is usually a busy period when first day voting took place at the Bartholomew County Courthouse.

One of those four was Nancy Ann Pence Fritsch, the mother of Indiana Sixth District Congressman Greg Pence, R-Indiana, and former Vice-President Mike Pence.

Fritsch said she found it surprising that there is only one sheriff’s candidate (Republican Chris Lane), and that choosing convention delegates was the toughest thing on the ballot.

Pence Fritsch also campaigned a bit for her oldest son, Greg, who is seeking his third consecutive term representing the U.S. 6th District.

“You know he has never missed a vote standing there at his desk?” Pence Fritsch said. “Other people stay away and let somebody else vote on a bill, but Gregory has never missed a vote since he’s been there.”

Greg Pence is facing a primary challenge from Morgantown resident and Republican James Dean Alspach.

When Pence Fritsch’s husband, Basil Fritsch, was asked what he thinks of this year’s ballot, he said he doesn’t believe there are insignificant political offices.

“I think every race is one that I want to vote for,” he said. “Even our county council members are very important. I want to vote what I believe and it’s what I do.”

Another of the lunch hour voters, Donna Emmert of Columbus, says the midterm elections may not be as exciting as when a president, governor or mayor is being chosen.

“I recognize a lot of the names, although I may not know them personally,” Emmert said. “But I read about the candidates before I vote.”

Historically speaking, the 2018 GOP primary grabbed the public’s attention more than most other midterm elections.

That was the year that Hoosier voters surprised many by choosing political novice Mike Braun over two experienced Washington lawmakers, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, for U.S. senator.

In 2018, Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers had two primary challengers that included a woman, and there were no less than five GOP candidates seeking to succeed former District 59 State Rep. Milo Smith. Former Bartholomew County Council president Ryan Lauer came out on top of that primary race, as well as the general election.

That helps explain why a total of 12,302 Bartholomew County residents voted in the 2018 midterm primary – 2,000 more than in the spring of 2014.

Simo says he knows voters aren’t as excited about this year’s primary as they were four years ago.

“But everybody does need to cast their vote, because you know what they say? If you don’t vote, don’t gripe,” Simo said.