County Election Board has Critical Need for Poll Workers

There is a chance the Marshall County Election Board will have to reduce the number of vote centers for the May 3^rd Primary due to the lack of registered voters willing to serve as poll workers.

During Monday’s County Commissioner meeting, Deb VanDeMark, Secretary of the County Election and County Clerk told the commissioners she is having trouble finding citizens willing to serve as poll workers. 

The county has 12 voter centers: the Matchett Center in Bourbon, the Community Center at the Fairgrounds in Argos, the LaPaz Fire Station, the Tyner Community Building, the Tippecanoe Community Center, the Culver Schools Administration Building, Bremen Pines, Bremen High

School, the Knights of Columbus in Plymouth, Marshall County REMC in Plymouth, Life Enrichment Center in Plymouth, and the Pretty Lake Church Hall.  Each vote center requires 7 poll workers, four of which are registered Republicans, and 3 are registered, Democrats. 

Poll workers are paid for their time and begin their day at 5 a.m. on May 3^rd and work straight through until 7 p.m. or so.  They must also attend training on April 26^th. 

VanDeMark told the commissioners the Election Board will determine if they need to reduce the number of vote centers.  She suggested only having one center in Bremen as an alternative.  As of Monday’s commissioner’s, meeting, there was a need for 13 Democrats and 4 Republicans to fill vacant poll worker positions. 

In Bourbon, she said, “We need 3 Democrats in Bourbon just to keep it open.  Argos is another weak spot with no Democrats.”  VanDeMark has contacted the high schools in the county for student poll workers, but they must be registered and noted that not one county employee has signed up to work even though they have the day off. 

Anyone interested in serving as a poll worker can contact the Marshall County Clerks’ office at 574-935-8703.

VanDeMark said so far early voting is very light.  Since April 5^th there have only been 106 walk-in voters and 125 by mail.  Registered voters can vote in the Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  There will also be Saturday voting this week on April 23^rd and Saturday, April 30^th from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. in the Clerk’s Office in the Court House.  Saturday voting is also available in Bremen at the Pines and in Culver at the school Administration building.