Board clears 222 incomplete registrations, authorizes travel-board help for confined voters and waives $75 docking for trained poll workers

The St. Joseph County Election Board voted to authorize the county travel board to assist voters with incomplete mail/absentee applications and to clear a backlog of incomplete registrations, and it approved a temporary exception to a $75 docking policy for previously trained poll workers who miss this year’s training.

Staff told the board they had a set of incomplete applications — many from confined or disabled voters in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities — that were received after the mail deadline. Staff proposed preparing a travel-board application package, taking the incomplete forms to those facilities, helping voters complete applications and, where appropriate, providing a ballot at the facility so eligible voters are not denied because of missing information. A board member moved to authorize the travel board to cure errors/omissions and to extend assistance to confined or disabled applicants who submitted applications after the deadline; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

On the voter-registration hopper, staff reported 222 incomplete applications originating in the 2024 general cycle that had been the subject of repeated outreach (multiple written notices and phone calls). Staff cited procedures and Indiana-code language they read aloud that require the county to attempt contact and then certify and reject incomplete applications when information remains missing; the board voted to clear those records from the active hopper consistent with the statutory process.

Staff also reported an age-related registration error affecting two records that was identified and immediately corrected; a follow-up report of approximately 30,000 records showed 15,000 flagged as rejected or incomplete for varied reasons but only two were age-related duplicates and both were resolved, staff said.

The board then considered enforcement of a longstanding $75 docking policy for workers who miss training. One board member unsuccessfully proposed an immediate, blanket elimination of the docking; after discussion the board approved a motion to waive the $75 docking for the remainder of the year for workers who have previously been trained and worked, with inspectors able to submit claims to override deductions on a case-by-case basis. The motion passed by voice vote.

Public commenters raised concerns about the age-related registration notices and about preventing inadvertent disenfranchisement of older adults in care facilities. Pam Clays asked whether the county had reported the age-registration issue to the state and urged broader outreach; Ruth Warren, a League of Women Voters volunteer, described the prevalence of assisted completion of forms in facilities and asked the board to clarify procedures so volunteers are not inadvertently flagged. The League of Women Voters president, Beth North, thanked staff for correcting the error and urged continued vigilance.

The board closed by asking staff to produce clear written instructions for travel-board teams and to report back on outreach and the status of the cleared registrations.