Poll workers are needed for the May 8 Primary Election, including Inspector, Judge, Clerk, and Sheriff positions in most parts of the county. These are paid positions and include a required training session. Judges, Clerks, and Sheriffs are paid $90 for Election Day while Inspectors are paid $140; breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided. The day starts at 5:00am and ends when the election documents are signed, put in order, and the polling place is returned to its original condition. The Inspector and the Republican Judge then deliver all election materials and equipment to the Zietlow Justice building. We also need six (6) people to work at the Justice Building after the polls close until all the votes are tabulated. These people will be paid $10.50 per hour.

A Poll worker is required to be a registered voter of Monroe County and may NOT be a candidate, or a spouse, child, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of a candidate (excepting unopposed candidates for precinct committeeman or state delegate) and may NOT be a chairman or treasurer of a candidate’s committee. Please contact Donna Purdom by telephone at 339-0185 or 345-4574 or by e-mail: dpurdom1@comcast.net. Your help is greatly appreciated!

You don't need to wait until Election Day to vote! You can vote early beginning on April 9th, in the Atrium of the Curry Building, 214 W. 7th Street. These are the hours:

Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am until 6:00 pm
Saturdays 9:00 am until 4:00 pm
Monday, November 7 - 8:00 am to noon

The Election Board is also offering Satellite Voting this year, at five locations around Monroe County:

Evangelical Christian Church (ECC) - 503 S. High St.
MON 4/16 10am to 6pm
TUES 4/17 10am to 6pm

National Guard Armory - 3380 S. Walnut St.
THURS 4/19 10am to 6pm
FRI 4/20 10am to 6pm

IU Assembly Hall - South Entrance
MON 4/23 10am to 6pm
TUES 4/24 10am to 6pm

John the Apostle Catholic Church - 4607 W. Ind. 46
THURS 4/26 10am to 6pm St.
FRI 4/27 10am to 6pm

St. Paul United Methodist Church - 4201 W. Third St.
MON 4/30 10am to 6pm
TUES 5/1 10am to 6pm

Please see our YouTube channel for videos of some of our Democratic candidates.

(Note: I am adding links to candidates' websites wherever I have them. If your name is not linked, or you see one that is not linked and you know the address, please contact me at eric@mcdpindiana.org -- thanks!)

In 2008, against the odds and history, Indiana turned from Red to Blue…just barely. Monroe County was a vital part of this transformation and the rest of the state has taken notice. Locally at least, the 2010 tide of tea left Monroe County blue. Our challenge now is to return Indiana to Baby Blue and ultimately to Deep Navy!! As you know, 2012 will be a very important election. The strength of our local party it critical to our success at the local, state and National level. We are raising funds help pay for rent and support the campaign operations of the Monroe County Democratic Party.

If you want to be a part of this effort and future Democratic successes, please select an annual membership level and join today. Annual membership levels are $25, $50, $100, $250 or $500. You may also pledge to volunteer 4 hours or more at HQ.

To show our appreciation, we hope you will attend our 2012 FDR Gala on Tuesday February 21 at 5:30 pm at the Fountain Square Ballroom. We will be joined by Indiana Governor and US Congressional candidates as well as Monroe County candidate and local Democrats. Admission is free to those making a financial or volunteer commitment to the MCDP in 2012.

The deadline to file as a candidate in the 2012 Primary Election is Noon on Friday, February 10th. All candidates who intend to run for county office need to fill out the following form:

Declaration of Candidacy for Primary Nomination (CAN-2)

and file it with the Monroe County Election Supervisor, Ruth Hickman, in the Justice Building no later than noon on February 10th.

Once you form your committee, there is a second form that needs to be filed within ten days of the formation of that committee, and also filed with Ruth in the Elections office:

Candidate's Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee (CFA-1)

The caucus will be held on Sunday, December 11th, 2011 at 3pm at City Hall in the Council Chambers.

The Monroe County Democratic Party (MCDP) will hold a caucus to fill the position of Monroe County Council Member, District 4. This Caucus will be held on Sunday December 11th at 3 pm at City Hall Council Chambers (401 N Morton in downtown Bloomington.) The position has been vacated due to the resignation of Sam Allison. All Democrats are welcome to attend this Caucus, but only precinct chairs from Council District 4 (or their authorized proxies) are eligible to vote. In the event that a precinct chair is unable to attend, the vice precinct chair may cast a proxy vote. In this case the precinct chair must provide the MCDP Secretary with a written note authorizing the vice precinct chair to cast a proxy vote at the Caucus. MCDP Treasurer, Hans Huffman, will serve as Caucus Chair. Dan Combs will serve as Parliamentarian.

For Council candidates: the deadline for filing is 12 noon Friday, December 9th. If you intend to run you must notify MCDP Secretary, Donna Purdom, in writing. Email is fine for this purpose. Candidates may prepare a written statement that will be sent to the MCDP email list.

UPDATE: For Candidates. Candidates must provide form CEB-5 to the Caucus Chair at least 72 hours prior to the caucus. You may download the CEB-5 candidacy form below. Candidates are strongly encourage to deliver the form in person to Hans Huffman, caucus chair. Please contact Hans to arrange a meeting.

A current list of precinct chairs and vice-chairs is available for download.

The votes have been tallied for the 2011 general election.

Here are the results for the contested races. The Herald Times has full results posted online, and Indiana Public Media has these and statewide results as well.

It has come to our attention that a number of IU students may have been offered a reward to vote in the form of a party to be sponsored by Buffa Louie's. This information has been provided to bi-partisan absentee voting staff at early voting by student voters who have taken pictures of themselves casting their ballots and who have voluntarily reported participating in a contest among fraternities and sororities sponsored by Buffa Louie's. Mr. Ed Schwartzman is a Republican Candidate for City Council At-Large and is an owner of Buffa Louie's. It is unclear just what Mr Schwartzman's involvement, that of other GOP candidates or the Republican Party is in this project, but given Buffa Louie's involvement it seems likely to be significant by Mr. Schwartzman.

This type of inducement may run afoul of Ind. Code § 3-14-3-19(1) and Ind. Code § 3-14-2-1(3). (See citations below.)

(It is not a problem to take a picture casting a ballot in the ballot box, but it is a problem if the ballot votes are exposed and photographed.)

As followers of Bloomington and IU campus politics know, the Monroe County Democratic Party encourages all in our community to vote and has worked tirelessly to broaden the franchise on campus and throughout our community in the form of satellite voting, extended early voting hours and moving to more accessible Voting Centers. The Monroe County Democratic Party encourages everyone to vote, but we and our candidates go about that legally. Offering a material or monetary reward for voting is not in keeping with proper standards and the law. (See citations below).

We don't believe any student is at fault and we encourage everyone in our community to vote. Mr. Schwartzman has seemingly placed himself, his business, his Party and many unknowing students in some legal jeopardy. The reward for voting should be a sense of civic pride and community spirit, not a monetary or material inducement.

Several students claim to have been offered the reward of a party at Buffa Louie's to vote in this election cycle. Dozens if not hundreds more sorority and fraternity members may have been solicited in the same fashion. Mr. Schwartzman and the Monroe County Republican Party need to explain this activity and rescind any promised or implied material rewards for voting and do so immediately and publicly.
Monroe County Democratic Party
Rick Dietz, Chair

Some relevant sections of Indiana Code follow:

IC 3-14-3-19: Inducing votes by gift or offer to compensate
A person who, for the purpose of inducing or procuring another person to:
(1) apply for or cast an absentee ballot; or
(2) vote or refrain from voting for or against a candidate or for or against a public question at an election or political convention;
gives, offers, or promises to any person any money or other property commits a Class D felony.
As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.10. Amended by P.L.3-1987, SEC.482; P.L.103-2005, SEC.37.

IC 3-14-2-1(3) : Fraudulent application for registration or absentee ballot; fraudulent voting
Sec. 1. A person who knowingly does any of the following commits a Class D felony:
(1) Conspires with an individual for the purpose of encouraging the individual to submit a false application for registration.
(2) Conspires with an individual for the purpose of encouraging the individual to vote illegally.
(3) Pays or offers to pay an individual for doing any of the following:
(A) Applying for an absentee ballot.
(B) Casting an absentee ballot.
(C) Registering to vote.
(D) Voting.
(4) Accepts the payment of any property for doing any of the following:
(A) Applying for an absentee ballot.
(B) Casting an absentee ballot.
(C) Registering to vote.
(D) Voting.

Our Democratic candidates for City Council have recorded statements for CATS' Candidates on Demand. We've put together a playlist at our YouTube Channel. Or, you can watch the videos below.

Chris Sturbaum, District 1

Tim Mayer, At Large

Andy Ruff, At Large

Susan Sandberg, At Large