General election early voting off to a strong start in Lake, Porter counties

Lake County voters kicked off election season bright and early Tuesday morning, giving Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman high hopes for the November general election.

“I think a lot of people have realized throughout the years, as it gets closer to the election, the lines get a little bit longer,” she said. “So if you know who you’re going to vote for, just come out and get it done.”

In Porter County, early voters at the Porter County Administration Building stretched out the door of the vote center set up in a conference room in the basement and down the sunny hallway. Michael and Marcia Foreman, a husband and wife from Valparaiso, shared a bench with Rose Ross, also of Valparaiso. “We feel we need to get out our voice to be heard,” said Michael Foreman.

Marcia Foreman said they always try to vote early. “It’s just more convenient. It’s less crowded,” she said.

“I always vote early,” said Ross. “Get it done and over with so you don’t have to stand in line in 20-degree weather and freeze. And frankly, I don’t know where to go,” she added of her other vote center options.

As of about 11 a.m. Tuesday, 511 mail-in ballots had been returned in Lake County, and in 2022, they received 972 for the first day, Fajman said. In a text at about 4:15 p.m., Fajman said that 1,549 people participated in the first day of early voting. The number does not include Lowell Town Hall figures, which were not yet available.

“We’re already more than halfway to what we did in the first day four years ago,” Fajman said. “That’s very promising.”

The Lake County Board of Elections added an early voting day for Sunday, Oct. 25. Fajman said it’s been a request for a few years.

“Not everyone can be present on Election Day,” she said. “A lot of people are working out of town and just not available to be here on Election Day, so we want to give everyone the opportunity (to vote).”

On Oct. 25, voting will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its other polling locations, which include the Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center in East Chicago; Hammond’s County Courthouse; Lowell Town Hall; Wicker Park Breezeway in Highland; the main Gary Public Library; Hobart’s Maria Reiner Center; Munster Town Hall; St. John Township Assessor’s Office; and Winfield Government Complex.

Early voting in Porter County continues through Nov. 2 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Locations are: Chesterton Town Hall, 790 Broadway, Chesterton; Hebron Community Center, 611 N. Main St., Hebron; NIRPC Building Lobby, 6100 Southport Rd, Portage; Noth County Complex – Annex Building, 3560 Willowcreek Rd., Portage; Porter Couunty Administation Building, 155 Indiana Ave., Suite 102A, Valparaiso; Union Township Fire Station #2, 267 N. 600 W, Valparaiso; and the Valparaiso Training Center, 355 Evans Ave., Valparaiso.

Lake County voting locations are the same as previous years, Fajman said. The county department also had no issues with ballots ahead of early voting, she added.

“We haven’t heard any complaints so far this morning, so we think everything is up and running well,” Fajman said.

Crown Point resident Jaranata Sharp, 73, voted at the Lake County Government Center Tuesday morning. Sharp said her experience was great, and she had no issues.

“I just wanted to get it out of the way,” Sharp said. “I was thinking it would be long because every time I vote, it’s usually a long line. But I came earlier, and it was really nice.”

Sharp said there was no line when she arrived, and she was finished voting in about 20 minutes. She tries to vote early each year.

As a voter, Sharp said she values candidates who are focused on affordability, and she doesn’t want to worry about not being able to afford her groceries. She also encouraged everyone to get out and vote.

“At least then you can put your vote in for who you want instead of sitting at home going, ‘Well, why did they win?’” she added. “At least you can say, ‘I did my part, and I hope others would do theirs.’”

Gwenell White Sandifer, 67, said she votes early if she can. But, Tuesday morning, she said she made a point to cast her vote early.

“It’s a necessity for us to vote,” she said. “Our lives are at stake. … People are against people, and we need some unity. We need some love, and we need some people in office that are for everybody, and that’s why I’m here, casting my vote.”

White Sandifer also said she had no issues with the process, and it went quickly. She arrived at the government center at about 9:45 a.m. and was done voting at about 10:15 a.m.

She’s tried to vote every year since she was 18 years old, White Sandifer said, adding that she was happy to keep the streak going this year.

“I just think it’s important that everybody needs to be heard and get their votes in,” White Sandifer said.

Crown Point resident Arnold Reyes, 76, arrived for early voting after 10 a.m. Tuesday, and he was done by 10:30 a.m. Reyes said there was no line when he arrived, and it went smoothly.

His top issues for candidates include affordability and immigration policies, Reyes said. He encouraged everyone to vote if they can.

“This is the U.S.,” Reyes said. “That’s how democracy works.”

Frank Baccino, an 87-year-old Crown Point resident, said he votes early each year, but he tends to wait a week before casting his ballot. He likes to vote early because the lines aren’t as long as Election Day.

This year, he waited about 20 minutes to vote and said he had no issues.

“You should vote every year,” Baccino said. “That’s the problem now — too many people won’t get out and vote.”

Back in Valparaiso, Charlotte Sterling, of Valparaiso, said she was motivated to vote early by personal experience with an elected official following a family tragedy.

“To be completely honest, and I’m embarrassed, I’ve never voted in a local election,” she said. “I learned from personal tragedy that prosecutors can pick and choose what cases they want to handle or not,” she said of the death of her 16-year-old son after he was hit by a car while riding his bike in front of their home in November of 2024.

JoEllen Raby, of Valparaiso, didn’t think early voting would be so busy. “I’m glad it’s busy,” she said. “People need to vote! I’ve seen more yard signs than I’ve ever seen.”

They all had to wait a bit as poll workers at the front of the line called headquarters to deal with a problem. Valparaiso resident Raymond Riddell was flagged when he checked in. “I guess they say I was sent a mail-in ballot that I didn’t receive,” he said. “I didn’t request one, so how does that work?” he asked poll worker Minerva White.

“We just call the office and they will look it up and correct it and give us the go-ahead,” explained her colleague Jennifer White after she got off the phone. With the matter settled, Riddell received a ballot.

More information on Lake County early voting can be found at lakecountyin.gov/departments/voters/EARLY-POLLING-LOCATIONS-TIMES. Information on early voting in Porter County is available at www.portercountyin.gov/1111/Early-Voting.

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[email protected]; Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.