On a vote of 52 to 46, the House passed HB 1235 which mandates that polls close at 8 p.m. rather than 6 p.m. on election day. (Title 3 is such a messed up part of the Indiana Code and state election law is so hopelessly garbled, it took an 8 page bill to say this.)
The roll call vote is here. Do Republicans actually have data that shows greater access to the polls harm them or do they routinely vote against greater access simply as a matter of faith? Because to me, it seems like this extra two hours wouldn’t necessarily benefit one party more than the other.
While I support greater access to polls, I question what effect this would have on finding poll workers. As it is they work about a 14 hour day. Two more hours would put it over the top for many workers I believe. Currently judges and clerks can work half days. Inspectors are required to work the entire day without leaving the polling place, even to eat. All for around $100 in pay. Perhaps opening more early voting locations would be a more practical solution.
Actually, I think the Republicans were opposed to the fiscal impact of the bill – about $3.3 million per election cycle. Access to vote centers and and an expansion of satellite absentee voting is the more fiscally responsible way to achieve greater access to voting. Not to mention the incredible human cost of extending the voting day. If you doubt this, please call your favorite political party and volunteer to be a poll worker at the next election; after you have had 4 hours of training and worked a 15 hour day, decide if making it a 17 hours day makes sense or if your brain shut down about 4:00pm.
Anybody happen to know how Indiana’s poll times compare to the average for other states? About the same? A little shorter? A little longer?
There is a good map of poll closing times (takes some conversion as all times are Eastern) at –
http://is.gd/j7El
Thanks for that. Looks like Indiana closes earlier than most. Do we perhaps open earlier than most?
What ticked me off in ’04 was when Borcaw called Indiana and the polls in the central time zone part of the state still had an hour to go!
Frankly if you are going to vote, you can make it there in the time allotted.
Make that Brocaw;-)
Although he can be a bore cow at times!