Mixed Reaction to Initial Marion Co. Central Count

Marion County is required to count its absentee ballots at a central location.

The mandate was handed down from the state legislature last year, but only applies to Marion County.

Wednesday, Clerk Beth White outlined what that it meant for the county in May and what it means going forward.

Marion County switched to a central count for the first time during the May primary.

White says the process went fine, but required a lot more energy and money than doing it at individual precincts.

The Election Board spent about $150,000 on the central count and White expects November’s election to cost even more.

"For fall, non-presidential, federal we expect to have between 30,000 and 40,000 absentee ballots.  That would be a typical turnout for that kind of election," said White.  "We had 4,200 ballots in the spring."

"We have to consider that the increased volume will increase our costs.   It's going to require additional materials, additional people, additional equipment, and these are all things we anticipate spending in the fall election."

Other counties have chosen to use a central count, but White says she doesn’t know why Marion County is being singled out as the only one where it’s mandated.

"I just have to follow the instructions that I get in state law," said White.  "There just isn't any reason why the people of Marion County ought to be spending more tax dollars to make this process work."

Marion County Republican Chair Kyle Walker says it’s unknown how many times absentee ballots have been lost or tabulated incorrectly.

But, thinks switching to the central count will mean a better election.

"I think it was very effective and a great idea," said Walker.  "It ensures that every absentee ballot is tabulated correctly and that all of those ballots have a secure chain of command and once they reach the election board, they stay at the election board until they are counted which is really a part of the importance of maintaining that integrity of the tabulation process."

The only way Marion County could go back to the precinct system is through a unanimous vote by the election board or the legislature reversing its decision.

White says it’s unlikely either of those will happen, so she says her office is now preparing to make the central count work as well as it can for the fall.