Early voters in the Westchester 9 district who showed up to vote at the Chesterton Town Hall on Friday afternoon and requested a non-party ballot for the Duneland School referendum were told there were none left in stock.
A township resident told the Chesterton Tribune Mnday about the incident and said workers were called to get more ballots but none ever came that afternoon. The resident said he decided to cast a party ballot answering only the question on referendum but was worried his ballot would be “tossed away” since it was not completely filled out.
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Sundae Schoon, Republican director for the Porter County Voters Registration office, confirmed the shortage and said the supply of ballots for the precinct was replenished this morning. While overall early voting numbers are down for this year’s presidential election, the voter’s registration office reported seeing heavier traffic has been seen at the Chesterton Town Hall because of the school referendum.
Early voting ended at 12 p.m. today at the county’s three early voting sites. Polls will open at 6 a.m. at all polling places for Tuesday’s election. Voting will be over at 6 p.m.
All ballots will be counted no matter how many questions are answered, the county voters office said.
Schoon stated her office has made sure enough referendum-only ballots will be available for tomorrow’s election.
The Referendum language:
Dunelanders will also be asked the following question on the ballot for the Duneland School Referendum: “For the seven calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall Duneland School Corporation impose a property-tax rate that does not exceed 22 cents ($0.22) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to all other property tax levies imposed by the school corporation.”
The referendum is on both Democrat and Republican ballots. Voters who don’t wish to declare a party may ask for a special ballot just for the school referendum.
