MONROE COUNTY, Ind. — The Monroe County Vote Center Committee recommended converting the county's precinct-based system to vote centers and presented its draft plan at a public hearing April 7 before the Monroe County Election Board.

The committee, chaired by Alana Stonebraker, recommended by a 7–0 vote that the county consolidate existing “super precinct” polling sites into a plan that would operate roughly 20 vote centers countywide and add three short-term early-voting sites 10 days before an election. The election board opened the draft for public comment and scheduled a second hearing and possible vote for May 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the Nottie Hill courtroom.

A vote center system allows any registered voter in the county to cast a ballot at any designated voting location on Election Day; ballots are printed on demand using an electronic poll book that is not connected to the internet. Stonebraker said the committee’s 56-page report — posted on the Monroe County Election Board website — includes required compliance checklists, floor plans for the 29 current locations and the committee’s recommendations for locations, staffing and equipment.

‘‘About 65 of the state’s 92 counties have already adopted this,’’ Stonebraker said. She told the board the county already owns about 130 electronic poll books compatible with on-demand ballot printing and that the county would need to purchase additional printers and invest in poll-worker training. She also said some locations have limited Wi‑Fi, which can create workflow challenges even though the poll books are offline devices.

Supporters at the hearing included local elected officials, students and frequent election workers. Bloomington Mayor Terry Thompson said the change could reduce barriers for residents who find current hours and polling locations inconvenient. ‘‘People can go during the work day, during the school day, to the place that’s most convenient for them,’’ Thompson said.

Student speakers and campus organizers said a vote-center model would reduce confusion for Indiana University students who sometimes arrive at the Indiana Memorial Union expecting to vote but are turned away because they live in a different precinct. ‘‘Not all students are allowed to vote at the IMU,’’ said Anishka Pandey, president of IU Democrats, adding that misinformation about campus polling sites contributed to problems on past Election Days.

Monroe County Council member Trent Decker, who formerly worked in state election administration, urged the committee and board to consider a robust set of locations so voters can access sites near workplaces and homes, including in rural townships. Several commenters urged the board to publicize centers widely if the plan is adopted.

County Clerk Nicole (last name not stated) told the board that provisional-ballot hearing data underscores current problems: she reported the board reviewed 390 provisional ballots at a recent hearing, and said most were tied to voters showing up at the wrong location; she noted 300 of those provisionals were linked to the IMU. The clerk and other speakers said better communication about locations would be required if vote centers are adopted.

Committee recommendations include: converting current polling places into a network of about 20 vote centers for general elections, supplementing Election Day operations with three additional early-voting sites 10 days before an election (Ellettsville Town Hall, the IU Center on Representative Government near the IMU, and the Monroe County Public Library’s Southwest Branch), and training poll workers on on‑demand printing using the county’s Hart InterCivic equipment.

The committee and many public commenters emphasized access for voters with limited mobility and for residents who work outside their home precincts. Concerns raised included rural travel distance to centralized sites, the fiscal impact of purchasing additional printers and staffing, and the need for clear annual adjustments: Stonebraker said the plan can be amended yearly by unanimous election board vote to reflect city-only or countywide election years.

The election board asked the public to submit written comments via an online form or by mail to Election Central before the May 19 hearing. The board will consider approving, approving with amendments, or rejecting the plan at that meeting; if adopted, the plan would be filed with the Indiana Election Division and Monroe County election staff would begin ordering equipment and updating documentation.

The public hearing drew students, elected officials, election workers and business groups who generally urged adoption; several speakers recommended keeping or expanding vote-center sites in rural townships to reduce travel burdens for older voters. The committee report and the board’s public comment record are posted on the Monroe County Election Board website.

The election board will accept additional written feedback until the May 19 hearing and will then take action on the committee’s draft plan.