Election board approves vote‑center plan, absentee satellite offices and equipment updates

At its Feb. 25 meeting the St. Joseph County Election Board adopted a series of election‑administration resolutions and heard a staff update on sites and equipment for the upcoming primary and general elections.

Elections staff reported the primary will operate with 39 vote‑center sites (down from 42) because Warren Elementary and two libraries are unavailable for the primary but are expected to return for the general. Staff said the county will deploy sample‑ballot iPads at each site rather than bound sample‑ballot books; "we'll have 2 for each site" to match prior practice of two sample books, Chris told the board.

The board approved the vote‑center plan resolution and a separate resolution designating satellite absentee offices (County City Building and the County Service Building in Mishawaka) to be open 28 days before the election. The board also approved a resolution to simplify signature review for travel‑board and in‑person absentee ballots that have already been verified in person, authorized numbered seals for each electronic poll pad to track devices, and set the central count for absentee ballots to begin after 6 a.m. on election day for both the primary and general.

Staff also discussed plans to add four weekend early‑voting sites (one in each quadrant of the county) for the last weekend of early voting to reduce lines at peak times and asked parties to provide people to proof ballots before the March 6 sign‑off deadline. Clerk staff asked for roughly 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans to assist absentee operations.

The measures were approved by voice votes and entered into the meeting record as resolutions for this election cycle.