Results of the Nov. 3 election in Indiana, and across the country, may not be known for days. The counting of ballots continues after election night most years. This year’s expected surge in mailed ballots means election offices may need extra time to tally all the votes. As that occurs, some candidates may call for the counting to end and for themselves to be declared the winner. However, winners will be decided when all the votes are counted — that’s the American election system at work. WFIU/WTIU's journalists will cover that process, and WFIU/WTIU will rely on The Associated Press and NPR to call races for the winner based on the AP’s rigorous, time-tested method.
Some long lines as the polls opened at 6 a.m. slowed to a trickle by noon on Election Day Tuesday.
At Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, site of Perry 18, 19 and 22, there were more poll workers than voters midway through the 12-hour session.
“We made a bet that there was so much early voting that it would be pretty easy today,” Craig Jackson said.
Jackson said he hasn’t seen an election quite like this one.
“I’m in my 40s,” he said. “This has got to be the most important (election) I’ve ever seen. Nothing compares to this.”
Ken Ganza figured the early voting would mean less of a wait on election day.
“All these people that thought they were being so smart by going out to vote early and stayed in line for hours; I think I was smarter than them.”
Still, Ganza said he expected he would be in line for an hour. Instead, voting for him went “very quick.”
By 4 p.m., though, Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne said in-person voting on election day had exceeded early and absentee voting in the county.
Earlier, Browne sent out an email highlighting a pair of Tuesday voters.
“I want to take a moment to thank our oldest voter so far, who was born in 1921 (making him/her 99 years young) and out youngest voter, who turned eighteen today. Happy Birthday and thank you for voting!” it read.
Some of the heaviest voting in the county came in Ellettsville at St. John’s Catholic Church and Ellettsville Christian Church. Both had more than 1,500 voters.
Southside Christian Church, Bloomington High School South, Highland Park Elementary School and Jackson Creek Middle School each had more than 1,000 voters.
