Vote Center Study Committee recommends Monroe County adopt vote centers, urges more early-voting sites

Elana Stonebraker, head of the Monroe County Election Board Vote Center Committee, told the board the committee recommends adopting vote centers and converting the county’s current 29 super‑precinct locations to a vote center model.

The committee’s report summarized a year of work, including listening sessions in Ellettsville, Unionville and on the Indiana University campus, meetings with the Monroe County NAACP and input from the Stone Belt Board of Directors and IU PACE students. The committee heard consistent public support for convenience and accessibility — particularly campus‑adjacent and transit‑served sites — and said voters generally viewed vote centers as less confusing than the current precinct model.

“Vote centers have potential benefits for Monroe County voters and should be adopted,” Stonebraker said. She said the committee plans a final written report and public comment period before the board votes on any formal change.

Why it matters: switching to vote centers changes logistics, equipment needs and voter outreach. Committee members urged the board to weigh up‑front costs against potential long‑term gains in convenience and election‑day efficiency.

Committee findings and…