The Lake County Election and Voter Registration Board has approved a list of eight primary election polling location changes.
The May 3 primary will have 198 polling locations for 355 precincts, said Lake County Election and Voter Registration Board Director Michelle Fajman, so a small number of polling locations have changed. If a voter’s polling location changed, he or she will be notified, Fajman said.
“If they are being affected, they should get a postcard in the mail,” Fajman said.
The Calumet Township Precinct 12 polling location changed from the Lake Ridge Fire Department to the Calumet High School community room after fire officials told election board staff that the firehouse won’t be available this year, Fajman said.
The East Chicago Precinct 05 polling location changed from the American Legion Post 369 to the Robert A. Pastrick Library due to construction, Fajman said.
The Gary precincts 1-18 and 1-20 polling location changed from the Glen Ryan Park Pavilion to Miracle Temple Church due to repairs, Fajman said.
The Gary 4-05 precinct polling location changed from the A.L. Thomas Highrise to Gary Fire Station No. 2 because the building was sold, Fajman said.
The Griffith 01 precinct polling location changed from Eldon Ready School to Griffith Lutheran Church, Fajman said. The school has become a YMCA and the YMCA did not want to be a polling location, so the new location is the church, which is three blocks away, Fajman said.
The Hammond 1-01 precinct polling location will remain the same but it has a new name: from Community Bible Church to Lighthouse Christian Fellowship of Whiting, Fajman said.
The Hammond 4-18 and 5-08 precinct polling location will change from the Gavit High School to Frank O’Bannon Elementary School because the high school has closed, Fajman said.
The Munster 21 and 22 precinct polling location will change from the Centennial Park clubhouse to Wilbur Wright Middle School because of structural damage to the foundation at the clubhouse, Fajman said.
Muster Republican Party Chairman Dan Buksa came before the board Tuesday to ask the members to consolidate seven precincts into either Wilbur Wright Middle School or Munster High School with one entrance point.
Currently, there are three precincts — Munster precincts 2, 24, and 25 — at Munster High School with a different door designated for each precinct, Buksa said. Munster precincts 8 and 18 are currently at Wilbur Wright Middle School, he said.
Buksa asked the board to consider consolidating the seven precincts — the five precincts currently in a school and the two precincts moving to the middle school — to Wilbur Wright Middle School because it has “a very large cafeteria and gymnasium.”
If that doesn’t work, Buksa also recommended the Munster High School auditorium, which is a large space with a large parking lot.
At minimum, Buksa said the board should consider requesting one entrance for the precincts currently located at Munster High School because he’s heard anecdotally of issues with voters arriving at the wrong entrance and having to drive around the school to their correct entrance.
Buksa told the board he has talked with the School Town of Munster superintendent about the polling locations, and he was ultimately told to talk to the principal. Buksa said he reached out to the Munster High School principal, though hasn’t heard back yet because of spring break.
Fajman said legally schools have to be polling locations if asked but school officials decide where in the school the polling location can be set up.
The board ultimately decided to write a letter to the school district to express a “strong preference” for one entrance at the high school, said Board President Kevin Smith.
Early voting begins April 5, and voters can cast their ballot at 11 in-person early voting sites:
East Chicago County Courthouse, 3711 Main St., East Chicago
Gary Public Library, 220 W. 5th Ave., Gary
Winfield Public Library, 10771 Randolph St., Winfield
Hammond County Courthouse, 232 Russell St., Hammond
St. John Assessor’s Office, 9157 Wicker Ave., St. John
Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Road, Munster
Wicker Memorial Park, Ridge Road and Prairie Avenue, Highland
Lowell Town Hall, 501 E. Main St., Lowell
Hobart Police Community Center, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart
Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville
Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Office, Room A-205, 2293 N. Main St., Crown Point
For all locations other than the election board office, voters can cast a ballot between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. Those locations will also be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the two Saturdays before Election Day and 9 a.m. to noon May 2.
The election board office location will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The election board office will also be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the two Saturdays before Election Day and from 8:30 a.m. to noon May 2.
