INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS — Long lines at the polls. Voters aren’t waiting until November 3rd to make their voices heard. In fact, more than 734,000 Hoosiers have already voted early. That's according to numbers from the Secretary of State's office compiled by the US elections project. The total number of votes cast so far is equal to more than 26% of the final presidential vote in Indiana in 2016 and we're still two weeks from Election Day.
The Indianapolis City-County building keeps a crowd these days as voters line up willing to wait however long it takes to make their vote count. “I’m getting my voting done early so that way it will free up time for me to get out and help other people on Election Day,” said Patricia Gray.
WRTV asked her why she didn’t mail in her ballot. “I feel like something is going to happen they are going to get lost and my gut always proves me right. They are not going to get turned in. There has been so much happening over the last few years, I just don’t trust it at all,” said Gray.
WRTV found she isn’t the only voter who preferred in person early voting. “I don’t want to do the mail in. I don’t trust it. I want to make sure I go down and physically put my hand on my ballot and put it in. That makes me feel more comfortable,” said voter Elaine Hale.
Over in Johnson County the same applies. Some people just want to beat the long lines Election Day could bring especially due to Covid-19 concerns over crowds. “I figured come out avoid the crowds and I hit it right, I was able to walk right in vote and walk right back out,” said John Janneck. Some voters say they are showing up instead of mailing their ballot in for the experience of it all.
In both counties the early voters we talked with tell us the bottom line is no matter how you choose to go about it, it is important to vote. “I haven’t voted in 35 years but this year I had to get out and vote for good reason this time,” said Steve Karem.