Press conference for voting center issues held Monday

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - Members of the St. Joseph County-City Council discussed voting center concerns during a press conference Monday outside the County-City Building.

City Council member Jake Teshka and St. Joseph County District 2 candidate Derek Dieter raised concerns about the amount of accessible voting centers in various townships across the county.

“Every registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, should be able to vote within a reasonable distance from their homes,” both Teshka and Dieter said.

These townships, which include Walkerton, Lakeville, Greene, Lincoln, Madison, Liberty, and Union, cover approximately 10,000 voters.

Dieter said many people in Walkerton say if they have to drive 10, 12, or 18 miles to vote, they won’t vote.

Teshka said voting centers can’t just be based off the number of potential voters per voting center. Instead, more nuanced propositions should be included in order to keep from disenfranchising people.

The two men are asking citizens in these townships to attend the Election board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22, to discuss the issue.

The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the 4th Floor of the County-City Building.