Polls opened in Indiana at 6 a.m. this morning, with long lines forming throughout the morning at some vote centers in St. Joseph County.
Emily Collins was in line to vote at McKinley Elementary School in South Bend. She said she didn’t think she had ever seen it as busy as it was this morning.
“I’m excited to see this many people out," Collins said. "And I don’t know if this is because people can vote anywhere, so there’s more people from other precincts coming, or if it’s because of this election.”
It has been an unusual election season, but it’s the only one Lizzy Raster has really known. She just turned 18 in September, and was also in line at McKinley Elementary this morning.
“My mom was telling me that usually they just walk in and vote right away," Raster said. "It’s interesting times, it’s weird that first time voting in it.”
When I asked voters what issues mattered most to them this year, the answer I got most often was “all of them.”
“Oh my god, there’s a hundred and one important issues," said Barbara King, who was on her way to vote at the Charles Black Community Center in South Bend. "Our social security, our healthcare, plenty more.”
Other specific issues people mentioned were COVID-19, Black Lives Matter and the economy.
Most voters I spoke to seemed calm about the prospect of not having results on Election Night. The general response was that it’s better for election workers to take the time to get an accurate count.
“If they have to go at a slow and steady pace to get it absolutely right, speed isn’t the issue. The issue is getting the vote counts right,” said Lynda Wresh, who was voting at the North Side Gymnasium in Elkhart.
Patti Penn, who was voting at New Hope Methodist Church in Elkhart, was more concerned about what happens after the results come in.
“I’m just really concerned about the rioting and what’s going to happen after, no matter who wins,” Penn said.
As for why people are voting, Maria Garza – who was also at the Charles Black Community Center – said it’s for her 16 grandkids.
“I want them to be able to go where they want, be who they are, without being judged just because they believe different from somebody else,” Garza said. "It's okay to be different. But you've got to respect each other for that, also."
Polls close in most of Indiana at 6 p.m. EST. Indiana counties in central time close the polls at 7 p.m. EST.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo
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