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Rush County clerk proposes ordinance to standardize poll-worker pay; clerk warns state bill could shorten early-voting window
Summary
An incoming county clerk asked the commissioners to adopt an ordinance detailing which election costs county and municipalities will cover and warned that a state House bill could shorten early/absentee voting days, potentially affecting local election administration and costs.
An incoming county clerk presented an ordinance to the Rush County commissioners that would lay out which election-related expenses the county and municipalities should cover, including pay for poll workers and absentee voting costs.
The clerk said the draft ordinance draws on a Franklin County template and that the proposed pay levels had been reconciled with the clerk’s department budget: "the cost that I've included in the ordinance are already covered in my budget," the clerk said, noting she is an incoming clerk and that some items will require county council approval. The board moved and seconded to approve the ordinance on the consent agenda as ordinance number 2026, with a note that some elements require council action.
The clerk also flagged House Bill 1359 (as stated in the record), reporting that the bill would reduce early/absentee voting from 28 days to 16 days before election day in counties affected by the change; she said the effect varies by county size and could reduce costs for some jurisdictions but also reduce access for voters who rely on early voting. The transcript does not record any formal county position on the state bill or a vote to oppose or support it.
Next steps recorded on the agenda: move the ordinance forward and coordinate with county council where the law requires joint approval. No implementation date for the ordinance or a formal budget line-item was recorded in the meeting transcript.
