Commissioners approve voting locations

BEDFORD – The Lawrence County Commissioners approved a list of six voting centers for Lawrence County Tuesday morning and signed a rental agreement for the fairgrounds expo center.

Billie Tumey

“We will not be charged to use the building,” added Clerk Billie Tumey.

Those locations are:

  • The Lawrence County Courthouse lobby, at 916 15th Street in Bedford
  • Parkview Intermediate in the gym, at 2024 West 16th Street in Bedford
  • Needmore Elementary in the gym, at 278 Trogdon Lane in Bedford
  • Bedford North Lawrence High School cafeteria, 595 Star Boulevard in Bedford
  • Lawrence County Fairgrounds Expo building, 11265 State Road 50 West, Bedford
  • Mitchell Community Center, 101 Tom Green Drive in Mitchell.

“Last year we had 10,000 earlier voters in the general election,” said Tumey

The Primary Election is Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Poles are open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The General Election is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Poles are open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

To request an absentee ballot here.

How do primaries work in Indiana?

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party’s candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Indiana utilizes an open primary system.

Voters are not required to register with a party, but state statutes stipulate that citizens vote in the primary of the party they have voted for most often in the past. According to FairVote, however, “there is really no way to enforce this,” and primaries are effectively open.

How do I register to vote?

To register to vote in Indiana, an individual must be a U.S. citizen who has resided in the precinct in which the individual will be voting for at least 30 days preceding the next election. The individual must be at least 18 years old by the time of the next general or municipal election. Proof of residence is required to register.[ Registration can be completed online, by mail, or in person.[ The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before the next election or Monday, April 4, 2022.

Prospective voters can register in person at the following locations:

  • A Bureau of Motor Vehicles (“BMV”) license branch while applying for or renewing a driver’s license, permit, or identification card
  • A public assistance office while applying for services
  • Certain agencies serving persons with disabilities while applying for assistance
  • Armed forces recruitment agencies
  • County voter registration offices and the Indiana Election Division
  • Unemployment compensation offices while applying for services