Vote Center Regional Meeting April 2013

Today’s Discussion 1.Why vote centers 2.How to become a vote center county 3.Vote Center Clerk experiences 4.Questions and Answers

History of Vote Centers Piloted by three counties in 2007 Wayne Tippecanoe Cass Authored legislation to allow counties to move to vote centers 7 active vote center counties with two more in 2014 Decisions made by local elected officials

Why Vote Centers: Cost-savings Possible reductions in current election costs Fewer poll workers needed Fewer voting machines needed Decrease in need for storage space Eliminate couriers Some initial investment Electronic poll book New computer equipment Voter education

Why Vote Centers: Convenience Located around county in popular locations Flexibility for voters to choose where to vote Steady stream of voters

Step 1: Gauge Interest Engage stakeholders County elected officials County party officials Community leaders Voters Pass resolutions County Council County Commissioners

Step 2: Form a study committee Diverse group County elected officials County party officials Community leaders Voters Topics to discuss –Infrastructure and technology –Electronic poll books –Training for poll workers –Preparing voters –Early voting –Locations –Costs

Step 3: Draft your plan Legal requirements Indiana Code Include Number of vote centers Location of each vote center Total number of voters in county(active and inactive) Review current vote center county plans

Step 4: Seek Public Comment Present plan at public meeting 30 day public comment period Organize and incorporate comments into plan

Step 5: Election board approval Public meeting to review final plan Unanimous vote from election board

Step 6: File the plan Send entire plan to the Indiana Election Division Plans will be available on the vote center website

Step 7: Learn from experience Use experiences to update plan. File updated plan with the Indiana Election Division.

Frequently Asked Questions What are the costs associated with renting facilities and setting up proper internet connections? Do vote centers increase voter turnout? How is equipment secured at vote center locations during early voting? What hours are vote centers open for early voting? How many vote centers are used for early voting?

Questions?

Contact information Office of the Indiana Secretary of State 200 W. Washington St., Room 201 Indianapolis, IN