Bailey Reinhart, 21, decided to vote on Election Day because it’s her first time voting and she wanted it to be memorable.
“I decided to vote this year because it’s more important to me. When I was 18, I was more carefree and didn’t know the meaning of it,” Reinhart said. “I am married now and my husband is in the service and I believe if I have an opinion about what I think our government should or shouldn’t be then I should vote.”
Today marks Election Day – the culmination of months of advertising, schmoozing and pleas from elected officials and wannabes to make them our next leader at the national state and local levels.
Cass County Clerk Beth Liming said 8,686 people voted early, which is down from the early voted tally of more than 10,000 in 2008.
“I intend to see long lines tomorrow,” Liming said Monday.
Hannah Maple, 18, took advantage of early voting when she cast her vote Friday at the Logansport Mall vote center. Maple is a freshmen at Indiana University Kokomo and said she wasn’t nervous because her parents told her about early voting and where she could go.
“I have school and work and it helps out to be able to vote early,” Maple said. “It’s my right and I think it’s important people vote.”
Reinhart said she believes it is important to vote but she thinks people should wait until they are mature enough to make those decisions.
“It’s hard to comprehend all the different views and economical issues that need addressing,” Reinhart said. “You should vote to make a difference for the future and the future of your children.”
Liming said she has prepared poll workers for today through training. She said she has also prepared herself with extra supplies at the Cass County Government Building if she needs to visit a vote center and help.
Liming said additional poll workers, at least one, will be added at each vote centers.
“Five poll workers at each location is average,” Liming said. “Some locations, like the mall and senior center, will have more.”
The Twelve Mile Fire Station will have five workers while the Logansport Mall and Cass County Senior Center will each have eight, because they are larger and more voters are expected.
“With this being a presidential election, it’s hard to predict what poll workers will see,” Liming said.
Another first-time voter Tyler Neher, 18, voted at the Walton Fire Station on Saturday. Neher said he wasn’t nervous to vote because he knew who he was going to vote for.
“I decided to vote because there are some things that need to be changed in our country and I need to vote to make sure the person who can make those changes is put in office,” Neher said. “I think it’s very important for others to vote.”
Associate editor Jason M. Rodriguez contributed to this report.
Amie Sites is a reporter at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5150 or amie.sites@pharostribune.com.
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
