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Board outlines ballot proofing timeline, post‑election audit plans and public testing schedule
Summary
Officials said they will consolidate ballot proofing into an in‑person session, plan a post‑election audit after certification (likely in December at a warehouse), and schedule required public testing before the Oct. 7 deadline. Staff also arranged a DHS safety walkthrough of top vote centers and will advertise the most handicap‑accessible locations to voters.
On Aug. 7 the St. Joseph County Election Board discussed several operational steps to prepare for the general election: consolidated ballot proofing, a Department of Homeland Security safety review of top vote centers, scheduling the required public test, and plans for a post‑election audit.
Staff proposed holding a single in‑person ballot‑proofing meeting to allow board members, party chairs and school representatives to review ballots together, rather than distributing ballots for individual email review. Members indicated the timing depends on candidate certification from the Indiana Election Division; staff referenced a Sept. 12 certification date for federal candidates and said the county will wait for the state report before scheduling a final proofing session.
A DHS safety walkthrough of the county’s top five vote‑center locations is scheduled for Aug. 12, staff said. Board members asked staff to identify and advertise the top handicap‑accessible vote centers; staff reported improvements at the LaSalle location, including new handicap parking and a more direct entrance.
Staff described a visit to a post‑election audit in Gibson County and plans to run a county post‑election audit after certification (anticipated after Nov. 17, with auditing likely in early December at the county warehouse because of ballot volume). The process will be public and transparent, staff said, and board members may participate as observers or in assigned roles.
The board also discussed the public test of the election system, noting the 48‑hour notice requirement and an Oct. 7 public‑test deadline; staff said they will finalize dates and may adjust the Oct. 7 board meeting to align with testing.
Board members said they will continue to coordinate schedules with party chairs and the schools that must participate in ballot proofing; no formal votes were taken on scheduling at the Aug. 7 meeting.
