Lake and Porter County election officials reported a record number of voters casting their ballots during early in-person voting for the 2026 primary election.
Early in-person voting for the 2026 primary election ended at 12 p.m. Monday with 17,263 voters casting their ballots throughout 11 polling locations in Lake County, and 5,767 voters casting their ballots throughout seven polling locations and a voting bus in Porter County, according to election officials.
In Lake County, 8,250 people utilized early-in person voting during the 2018 primary election, while 10,331 people cast their ballots during the early in-person voting period in the 2022 primary election, according to Lake County election data.
In Porter County, 1,684 people utilized early-in person voting during the 2018 primary election, while 5,387 people cast their ballots during the early in-person voting period in the 2022 primary election, said Porter County Elections and Voter Registration assistant director Tara Graf.
“I think it’s good that people are taking advantage of it,” Graf said.
With Election Day on Tuesday, Graf said it would be nice to see a big turnout comparable to presidential election years. Typically, voter turnout is lower in non-presidential election years, she said.
“You always hope you get a big turnout,’ Graf said.
Matt Springsteen, of Crown Point, who cast his ballot during early in-person voting at the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Office, said he always votes early in-person because of the convenience.
Springsteen said everyone registered to vote should cast their ballot before the election ends.
“This is your country. Take charge. Have a voice,” Springsteen said.
There have been efforts in the Indiana legislature, as recently as earlier this year, to shorten the state’s early voting in-person election period. But whenever the measure is brought up, it loses steam after a vote or two.
When House Bill 1359, which addressed scanning early voting ballots, was heard in the Senate Elections committee this year, the bill was amended to decrease early voting from 28 days to 16 days.
Committee Chair State Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, offered the amendment because “a shorter time for early voting will save money and also make it easier to administer the election.”
House Bill 1359 passed out of the Senate Elections committee in a 7-2 vote, but wasn’t called down for a final vote by the Senate. Gaskill previously said there weren’t enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill.
Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman previously said she testified against a similar bill proposed during the 2025 legislative session, and she would’ve done the same if public testimony was allowed for the amendment.
In Lake County, during the 28-day early voting period across 11 locations, 88,980 voters cast a ballot in the 2024 general election while 38,404 voters cast a ballot in the 2022 general election, Fajman previously said.
During the 2020 general election, 97,632 voters cast a ballot during the 28-day early voting period across 11 locations, Fajman previously said.
Early voting is a safe and effective way to cast a ballot, Fajman previously said. Overall, Indiana has low voter turnout, Fajman said, and reducing early voting days won’t help increase voter turnout.
“Our county likes (early voting). We’d like to even expand it,” Fajman previously said. “This is not where we need to be making cuts.”
akukulka@post-trib.com
