County Clerk secures expanded absentee and Election Day hours; requests courthouse security

County Clerk Shari Lentz told the Bartholomew County Commissioners on April 13 that election law requires the Clerk's office to offer absentee voting on Saturday, April 25 and Saturday, May 2, both from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and to provide staff coverage beginning at 5 a.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, May 5.

Lentz asked the board to authorize Courthouse security for Election Day only and said the Council Chambers in the Governmental Office Building would be open from 5 a.m. until about 6:30 p.m. to accommodate vote counting. Commissioner Larry S. Kleinhenz moved to approve the request; Commissioner Carl H. Lienhoop seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

The request was presented as administrative compliance with election law; the transcript does not cite a specific statute or code section. The commissioners did not attach additional conditions. The approved hours cover absentee voting on the two Saturdays and extended staffing/security on Election Day.