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.
Monroe County may not report election results until Wednesday.
“Like many other communities across the United States, Monroe County has experienced record numbers for early and absentee voting. To the extent possible, I have cautioned against anticipating the receiving of any results once the polls close,” said Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne in an email.
Browne said if results do not become public before midnight, a status update will be given Wednesday at 8 a.m.
“I will ask, in advance, for your patience as the Monroe County Election Board works to tabulate results,” she said, adding that she believe results eventually will show about 62 percent of registered voters in the county actually voted.
“Thank you to our phenomenal poll workers, our amazing early and absentee voting workers, the incredible team of people I am fortunate to work with every day and--most importantly--every single Monroe County voter who made voting a priority in these uncertain times,” Browne said.
The contested races at stake are three at-large Monroe County Council seats, one of the Monroe County Commissioners (District 2), and two Monroe County Circuit Court judges (Divisions 1 & 8).
The final results for the Monroe County Community School Corp. races will also have to wait.
Six county candidates ran unopposed : Penny Githens - Monroe County Commissioner (District 3), Valeri Haughton – Monroe County Circuit Court (Division 2), Cathy Smith – Monroe County Auditor, Joani Shields – Monroe County Coroner, Jessica McClellan – Monroe County Treasurer, and Trohn Enright-Randolph – Monroe County Surveyor.
“I can report that Election Day in-person voting has exceeded early and absentee in-person voting,” Browne wrote.
