Board discusses opening absentee envelopes earlier and tightens guidance on drop-off locations

The St. Joseph County Election Board discussed accelerating the schedule for opening absentee envelopes and clarified ballot drop-off procedures as officials prepare for heavy ballot volume.

Election staff reported a large backlog of absentee ballots: "We're close to 25,000," Speaker 6 said. Board members discussed opening the external envelopes (signature verification and preparation for tabulation) earlier than the currently authorized start date. Speaker 4 offered to draft a revised resolution allowing opening on Saturday and circulate it for the board's Oct. 29 meeting.

On drop-off procedures, board members debated whether vote centers may accept other people’s absentee ballots on election day. Concerns centered on chain-of-custody and staffing, particularly for late arrivals. Speaker 1 emphasized the safest option for voters: "If they want their vote to count, bring them here," advising voters to deliver absentee ballots to the county/city building to ensure proper documentation.

Board members agreed that absentee and early-vote locations such as Center Township and Mishawaka may accept drop-offs during early voting hours, but on election day the county/city building is the recommended acceptance point until 6 p.m. Staff suggested issuing a press release to clarify drop-off policy and avoid conflicting media reports.

Next steps: Speaker 4 will draft a revised resolution to allow earlier envelope opening and circulate it for the Oct. 29 meeting; staff will prepare public guidance about accepted drop-off locations and consider signage for vote centers.

Note: The board did not adopt a new resolution at the meeting; it instructed staff to prepare proposed language for the next meeting.