Early voters get the ballot rolling in Porter County

Just about everyone showing up for the first day of early voting at the Porter County Administration Building was there for the same reason – to beat the crowds. A couple of glitchy printers had them waiting in line just a bit a little after voting opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday, but they took it in stride, making jokes and staying chipper.

Valparaiso residents Pamela Schroeder and E.J. Proffitt became fast friends, generally entertaining each other. “He’s from the other side. You can tell by his hat,” Schroeder quipped.

“I try to stay on this side of the law, on this side of the daisies,” Proffitt, a lifelong Porter County resident, said. “I like to be a leader,” he said with a laugh on why he likes to vote early.

Schroeder, who’s lived in Valparaiso since 1970, said, “I used to be the first person in my precinct who would vote because I get up at 5 a.m. and I would be there at 6 a.m.”

Valparaiso resident Kate Sanders was up next. “This is the most exciting it’s been,” she said while she waited patiently for the election clerks to get the printer working so it could print out her label. “I’ve never voted early with a line. There’s more people than usual.”

As for races voters were concerning themselves with, Tom Schneegas of Valparaiso had just one. “Just the president one,” he said. “That’s the main thing, trying to get this country back on track.”

Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer also had just one, “the judge race,” he was concerned about when he stopped by to vote. He’s running for reelection to his second full term.

Whether he’s running for election or not, he tends to vote early. “Usually. In case it snows,” he said.

Clerks Jennifer Gervase and Michelle Emery, both of Valparaiso, had to briefly take to printing labels by hand for voters’ envelopes. Across the room, their colleague Cher McCotter, also of Valparaiso, was also having trouble with her label printer. When it stopped working the tablet voters sign also went out for a few minutes.

“At least when something goes wrong it’s good to have it happen early,” McCotter said.

She made sure Sundae Schoon, director of Porter County’s Elections & Registration Office, was kept apprised of the situation, though it was quickly fixed.

This is the first election the office isn’t right down the hall. It moved two blocks away to 157 Franklin St. a few months ago. “Now we’re missing them,” McCotter said. “It’s a little sad now.”

Early voting hours are 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 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the following locations: Porter County Administration Building, 155 Indiana, Suite 102A in Valparaiso; Valparaiso Fire Training Center, 355 Evans Ave. in Valparaiso; Union Township Fire Station #2, 267 N 600 W in Valparaiso; Hebron Community Center, 611 N. Main St. in Hebron; NIRPC Building, 6100 Southport Road in Portage; North County Complex, 3560 Willowcreek Road (new building) in Portage; and Chesterton Town Hall, 790 Broadway in Chesterton.

For more on early voting, including mobile voting times, dates and locations, go to https://porterco.org/1111/Early-Voting.

All early voting ends at noon on Monday, May 6.

Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.