Warrick County election board confirms most 2026 polling sites, discusses clerk‑office move, machines and outreach

Warrick County’s Election Board met to review and update its 2026 voting‑center and early‑voting plan, confirming most sites on the 2024 list while identifying a single location swap and several follow‑up tasks for staff.

At the meeting the board confirmed that the majority of locations listed in the existing plan remain unchanged and that eight sites had returned formal paperwork agreeing to serve as voting centers. The board flagged one replacement: Abundant Life Community Church will be replaced by a nearby park site; the transcript contains inconsistent references to that park (transcribed as "Freedom," "Friedman" and "Freeman" Park), and the board said it will confirm the official name before finalizing the plan.

Board members discussed moving the circuit court clerk’s early‑voting office out of the courthouse and using a downtown Booneville property known locally as the "North Pole." Meeting participants said the building is a city property with a ramp and parking and that staff must determine costs, security needs and advertising before approving the change. The board also reviewed a highlighted portion of Indiana Code section 3‑11‑10‑26, which governs voting at a circuit court clerk’s office and satellite offices, and asked staff to confirm statutory requirements and any relevant state guidance.

Equipment and staffing also drew significant attention. The plan shows 200 voting machines for the county; members noted the common practice of holding roughly 10% in reserve and asked staff to provide historical vote counts by site so the board can match machines to expected volumes. "If you can definitely give me the number of votes per location, that's about the only other thing I think we need," a board member said while outlining a schedule for returning a proposal at the next meeting.

On outreach, members discussed a mix of tactics to notify voters about site changes: press releases to local news outlets, targeted posts on town Facebook pages, reuse of existing signs from prior elections and large inflatable "wavy" signs placed in advance of each site's opening. Several members volunteered to draft and circulate a press release for board review.

Operational details covered standardization of the 50‑foot no‑campaign buffer, signage and simple supply lists (tape or rope markers, tape measures and durable yard signs). The board discussed whether to anchor signs or place tape on floors and asked that inspectors be given consistent language to enforce the buffer on election day.

The board discussed training and recruitment: members proposed half‑day poll‑worker shifts to improve recruitment and asked staff to research pay/authorization. David Shelton, identified in the meeting as the Knox County clerk, was named as a trainer; the board tentatively planned multiple sessions (morning and afternoon/evening) and asked staff to confirm dates with Shelton and vendors.

During public comment a county resident who identified himself as Don raised a security concern after recent media reports: "It has been made known that ICE could be at the polling places," he said, asking the board to provide clear guidance to inspectors on how to respond. Board members said they would check with the Indiana Secretary of State’s office and with legal counsel to clarify the county’s authority and options.

The board recorded a single formal action at the start of the meeting: a motion to table approval of previously circulated minutes was made and approved; the meeting transcript records the outcome as "Passes by 4 0 3 nothing." Members set a tentative follow‑up meeting to finalize the plan, asked staff to update statutory citations and maps, and requested vote‑by‑location data and a draft outreach statement ahead of the next meeting.

The board adjourned after public comment with several follow‑up items assigned to staff.