Todd Rokita Comments on Election Boards Filing to Keep Polls Open Past 6:00 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Statement from Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita regarding campaigns or county election boards filing to keep polls open past 6:00 p.m.:

"Our office has received reports that a Porter County Circuit Court Judge ordered polls in a few select Porter County precincts to remain open until 7:00 P.M. CST. We currently have a Special Deputy in Porter County and will keep updated on the situation."

"Indiana Code Section 36-1-3-8 states that county election boards have no home rule over the length of time the polls are open and cannot order that polls remain open past 6:00 p.m. Rather, the local county court makes the call."

"Counties should always follow court orders regarding polling place hours. But, any voter who was not within the "chute," which is the area or pathway that extends fifty feet from the entrance of the polls must vote by provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots go without challenge and are secured separately from those cast prior to 6:00 p.m."

"Voter turnout is high and polling place lines continue to be long as voters arrive at the end of the day. This is a great problem to have and I encourage voters to be patient as local election officials react as quickly as possible."

"Our office also heard of ballot shortages in Jackson County today. The County ran out of ballots in 5 precincts, but complied with procedural fail-safes and printed out additional ballots in time for voters to cast those ballots."

"We have worked closely with the counties, asked them to prepare plenty of ballots due to large increases in voter registrations, and continue to brief the county officials on the appropriate failsafe procedures to ensure that every Hoosier who has the right to vote may do so."

Source: Press Release 

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