Vote centers offer flexibility and convenience to voters by allowing them to cast a ballot at any county location of their choosing on Election Day. Over half of Indiana counties have moved to the vote center model. In 2023, the Monroe County Board of Elections created a vote center study committee, tasked with studying the topic and drafting a proposal, including how many vote centers to have and the cost and logistics of such a change. The Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee presented its report to the Election Board at the board's March meeting. The report is available from the
Vote Centers in Monroe County webpage.
The Election Board held its first public
hearing on the proposal on April 7, 2025. Some 22 people spoke, almost all in favor of changing from precinct-based voting to vote centers. Arguments in favor include (1) make it easier for rural voters and Indiana University students to vote, (2) help compensate for Indiana’s short voting hours, (3) put Monroe County practices in line with other counties, and (4) avoid the problem of voters going to the wrong poll site. The latter is particularly important for people who work far from where they live, or who try to squeeze in voting after they get off work in the evening.