Spencer County clerk reports roughly 70.6% turnout, high early voting in 2020 general election

Spencer County Clerk Lynn Hesselbrock briefed the Fiscal Court on election operations and turnout for the Nov. 3, 2020 general election during the Nov. 16 meeting.

Hesselbrock reported the county's voter turnout was about 70.58%, second only to Anderson County in the region, and that fewer than 20% of ballots were cast by mail-in absentee. She said nearly 50% of voters cast ballots early in person under the expanded early-voting options the county provided, and that voters appreciated being able to vote at any location in the county regardless of precinct. Hesselbrock said the extended in-person voting program required staffing — the county paid seven people as "ballot processors" to send, receive and process absentee ballots — and raised operating costs for the clerk's office.

Hesselbrock discussed potential statutory changes and operational shifts under consideration, including state-level changes to early-voting rules, the possibility of replacing precincts with centralized "vote centers" and the need for new equipment that can print ballots on demand to reduce the number of pre-printed ballot faces required at each vote center.

During public comment earlier in the meeting, voter Chase Harrod praised the administration of the election, describing it as "well-run" and conducted with "integrity and honesty." Hesselbrock said there will not be another election in Spencer County until 2022 and noted that local races and any legislative changes could alter how the county conducts future elections.