Marshall County Election Board approves poll-worker exceptions, allows 16- and 17-year-olds to serve

The Marshall County Election Board on Feb. 17 approved two resolutions aimed at bolstering poll-worker staffing for the 2026 primary and set several election logistics dates while tabling a proposed vote-center location change until a site confirms availability.

John Van Vachter, speaking as the proxy for Chairman Steve Harper, said the first adopted resolution (2026-1) allows precinct committeepersons and delegates to the state convention — both Republican and Democratic — to serve as absentee election officers, machine technicians or poll workers to the extent permitted by state law. Board members sought clarification about whether the change applied to uncontested candidates; staff explained the measure is intended to permit people who are running only as precinct committeepersons or convention delegates to serve despite appearing on related ballots.

The board unanimously approved Resolution 2026-2, which allows 16- and 17-year-olds to work at polling places if they meet Hoosier Hall Pass criteria. Staff described the requirements in the resolution: a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, parental permission, and school administration approval for missing class when necessary. Staff noted seven high-school students worked polling locations last year and were praised by precinct inspectors.

A separate item, Vote Center Plan Amendment No. 12 (Resolution 2026-3), was discussed but not finalized. Staff proposed updating dates and reallocating voting machines by location (most centers proposed to have three machines, with the busiest designated for five based on 2022 turnout figures the packet cites at roughly 13%). The amendment would move Bremen’s second vote center from The Pines (a small park facility) to the larger, handicap-accessible hall at Saint Isidore’s Catholic parish to improve capacity and shelter in inclement weather. Board members agreed the change could improve access but declined to finalize the amendment until Bremen Missionary confirms availability for the Saturday voting slot; the item was effectively tabled pending that confirmation.

The board also announced a staffing change in election technology: long-time Democratic technician Fernando Gomez will not be available this year, and a new technician, Max Warren, will shadow Republican technician Brian Howard and attend machine programming on March 14 for training.

On logistics and meeting procedure, the board voted to continue holding future meetings in the clerk’s office where records and equipment are stored rather than move meetings to the room set up for livestreaming. The board scheduled candidate-challenge hearings under the standard format (15 minutes for those challenged, five minutes for challengers) and set a hearing for Feb. 24 at 2 p.m., pending participant availability. Staff reviewed key calendar items including machine programming on March 14, a late-March public test, the start of in-person voting in April, absentee mailings beginning March 20 and campaign finance report deadlines in mid-April. Poll-worker training is scheduled for April 22.

The meeting concluded after the board confirmed challenge-hearing scheduling and called for adjournment. Staff said they will notify affected candidates and follow up on the pending vote-center site confirmation.

(For clarity: the board cited Indiana statute during discussion of poll-worker eligibility; the meeting transcript records a statutory reference as spoken verbatim.)