Registered voters in Seymour made it to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the 2023 primary election.
They had three vote centers in Seymour to choose from to vote for local seats up for election.
Those centers were Calvary Baptist Church, 1202 N. Ewing St.; the Jackson County Learning Center, 323 Dupont Drive; and the Jackson County Public Library, 303 W. Second St.
Voters used an electronic voting machine that printed out a paper ballot with readable lines of who they voted for.
The ballot featured just two contested Republican races. The first involved incumbent Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson and political newcomer Dan Robison, while the second pitted incumbent District 3 Seymour City Councilman Chad Hubbard against Marcus Sewell.
Sam Kidwell was at the Calvary Baptist Church vote center early Tuesday morning because of our privilege to vote and the people who paid a dear price for us to do so, he said.
“My dad went to war and fought in World War II, so I appreciate the price that people had to pay,” Kidwell said. “I moved here from Kentucky in 1972, and I love Seymour, and there are good people here.”
Also casting his vote at the Calvary site was Brian Campbell, who said he never misses his opportunity to vote because those who don’t vote don’t have a say.
Clerks Mary Burgmeier and James Harvey checked people in as they came in to vote.
Harvey worked as a clerk last fall, but this was Burgmeier’s first time because she’s usually on the ballot but wasn’t this time.
“I’ve been clerk-treasurer for the city and served on Seymour City Council, and last year, I was on the ballot for Redding Township Board,” Burgmeier said. “I’m the precinct committee person and find people to work at the polls, so I thought I’d give it a whirl this year to see what it’s like.”
She said they had one little hiccup at the site that morning, but once that was ironed out, things were running smooth as silk with a nice flow of people.
Bridey Jacobi served as poll inspector at the Calvary voting site and took care of at least one contested vote Tuesday morning.
Paul Kedrowitz, Tom Terkhorn, Cindy Ruddick and Maryellen Steward worked as judges at the vote site.
Terkhorn said he keeps coming back to work at the polls because he enjoys doing it.
“How Indiana handles their voting should be representative for every state in the United States,” Terkhorn said. “I have complete faith in the system, and a lot of people worked hard over the years to make it that way.”
Robison stood outside the polling site at the library Tuesday morning greeting voters and handing out mints.
“It’s always good to get out and meet folks learning their different ideas and perspectives,” Robison said.
City Council President Dave Earley, who is an independent, was outside the library, too. He was there to campaign for Nicholson.
Carol Freeman and Bob Prather welcomed voters upstairs at the library and helped them sign in before they went to cast their ballots.
As of Tuesday morning, Freeman said she had already helped 39 people sign in to vote. She has been a poll worker for eight years, including working during two presidential elections.
“Voting is a privilege. Not every country gets the opportunity to vote,” she said. “I would even say it’s our duty as citizens to vote.”
Prather has been a poll worker for 30 years and said the best part of being able to vote is the freedom to do so.
“People have given their lives for us to have the opportunity and the freedom to vote,” he said. “Just how the saying goes, ‘If you don’t vote, don’t complain.’”
Outside the learning center, Seymour Fire Chief Brad Lucas was supporting Nicholson, and Rexanne Ude was supporting Robison. Lucas, a Republican, will be on the ballot as the party’s candidate for the council District 5 seat on Nov. 7, while Ude was the Democrat Party mayoral candidate four years ago.
“We had some people not able to vote because they didn’t live within the city limits, but it’s good that people are coming out here to check,” Ude said. “It shows that they want to get involved with the process.”
Ude said the right to use a voice in this process is the most important part of voting.
“Having the right and ability to be able to support the process is important,” she said.
Lucas said voting is one step in a solution to fixing a problem as he reversed a similar quote, “Don’t complain. Help fix the problem.”
Bonnie Dabb has been a poll worker for 14 years and said letting the voice of the people be heard is a right to citizens that is the most important, which can be expressed through voting.
This was Libby Koleszar’s second time helping at the polling sites, and she said she likes to see the differences in how the process works from the national and local levels.
Poll worker Jimmie Ault said she is grateful to have an opportunity to vote and a platform for the community to come together to share their views and solutions.