Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view of the new voting machines on the first day of early voting at NexusPark in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023.
Early-in person voting for the Nov. 7 municipal election is off to a much faster start during the first week of voting compared to four years ago, according to the Bartholomew County Clerk’s Office.
A total of 482 people cast ballots during the first four days of early in-person voting, which started Monday at the former Petals and Vines store at NexusPark. An additional 96 people had voted on Friday as of 3 p.m.
By comparison, 190 people had cast ballots during the first five days of early in-person voting for the 2019 municipal election.
“I’m pleased,” said Bartholomew County Clerk Shari Lentz. “…When we compare our daily numbers, we are by far surpassing (turnout in 2019).”
Local election officials also had mailed out 365 absentee-by-mail ballot requests as of Friday afternoon and received 137 completed absentee-by-mail ballots.
The deadline to request an absentee-by-mail ballot is Thursday. Applications for absentee-by-mail ballots are available through the clerk’s office, which can be reached at 812-379-1604, or at indianavoters.in.gov, Lentz said.
The bipartisan Bartholomew County Election Board must receive completed absentee-by-mail ballots by 6 p.m. on Election Day.
The municipal election will decide who the next Columbus mayor will be, as well as who be on the newly expanded Columbus City Council. The council was expanded from seven to nine seats — six districts and three at-large seats — following the city’s decision to adopt second class status.
Only Columbus city residents are eligible to vote. Besides the mayoral and city council races, the city clerk race also is on the ballot.
Early in-person voting will continue at NexusPark from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays until noon on Nov. 6. Additionally, voting will be held at NexusPark and the Bartholomew County Government Office Building, 440 Third St., on Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
