Referendum Update
I’ll be doing updates over the course of the day so check back here periodically.
At 5:00 p.m.
- There’s one hour to go before the polls close.
- 140 of the 590 precincts absentee ballots have been counted.
- The election board approved five more teams to come in and help count ballots.
- There has been high turnout in Franklin Township and Beech Grove and the trend I reported this morning is apparently continuing. “Yes” for Wishard, “No” for schools.
At 2:50 p.m.
- Point of correction. Absentee ballot counting is still taking place and not complete as mentioned earlier. Clerk staff are going through about 20 precincts per hour.
At 2:00 p.m.
- We’ve got four hours until the polls close.
- I’m told the Marion County Clerk’s Office is finishing up counting nearly 8,000 absentee ballots.
- Turnout is still heavier in the south than other parts of the county.
- Beech Grove High School and Hornets Elementary school were on temporary lockdown today as police searched for a burglary suspect. No word on how that lockdown impacted voters.
At 11:00 a.m.
- More evidence from folks in southern Marion County, particularly Franklin Township, that voters are splitting their tickets by voting “yes” on the hospital and “no” on the schools. I’m going to be paying close attention to this trend.
- The counting should start on absentee and early voting ballots in the next hour.
- Indy Star is reporting the Fairbanks Foundation is promising $6 million toward new hospital if referendum passes.
- What are you hearing or seeing?
At 8:50 a.m.
- I’m hearing voter turnout has been light, but steady. The heavier voting has been taking place in the southern portion of Marion County. What I’m also hearing that’s pretty interesting is the trend in Franklin and Beech Grove tends to be split-ticket voters. They’re voting “yes” on Wishard and “no” on the schools. It will be interesting to see if the trend continues.
- Marion County Clerk Beth White tells me this morning that they will start counting the early votes at noon today. And because there’s only one or two questions on the ballot the votes should be tallied by 8:15 p.m. this evening.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Franklin Township is likely going to put the smack down on the schools. They have been hit hard by property taxes, mostly due to lack of commercial/industrial in the township. I wonder if this will also hurt Wishard? I see more educated folks in Franklin Township, folks who likely looked pass all the one sided mainstream media reports about how Wishard won't need property taxes….but they still want the ability to raise them.
This should be interesting.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
Citizens have a right to expect holistic disclosure from their government, not salesmanship or advocacy for real estate development (that's private sector business).
Some Marion County property owners are paying $4-$5+ per square foot, per year, in property taxes.
Wishard & these other referenda make a perfect slalom cut around the “caps,” which look more like buoys for lobbyist sport than taxpayer protection.
Unfortunately, the trend continues to be higher taxes and unstable or lower values (devaluation). Giving more of your money or equity as collateral, to fund the current trend, is unsustainable & destructive to the private sector; the real engine of a free market economy.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
Good reporting Abdul.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
If what you're hearing is accurate re: Franklin Township, that's great. I live in FT and have seen a lot of propaganda from the school system to “Vote YES!” At the same time, I've not seen anything asking people to vote No.
I'll be voting No on the way home from work this afternoon. Not that I needed any more convincing, but the property tax bill that landed in my mailbox last week was a good reminder that they're sky high in FT and the 1% cap will make for a huge cut in our taxes. Given we're being slammed on several fronts in this economy, I'm not in much mood to volunteer to raise my taxes (or take less of a cut as they spin it).
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
If the talk of voters at my polling place is any indication Franklin Township is voting NO across the board.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
If the talk at my polling place is any indication, Franlklin Township voters are voting NO across the board.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:28 pm
In Warren township the voting was Dead to say the least. Of course the only question was about Wishard. I was the 39th person to vote at 4:00 pm.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
If what you're hearing is accurate re: Franklin Township, that's great. I live in FT and have seen a lot of propaganda from the school system to “Vote YES!” At the same time, I've not seen anything asking people to vote No.
I'll be voting No on the way home from work this afternoon. Not that I needed any more convincing, but the property tax bill that landed in my mailbox last week was a good reminder that they're sky high in FT and the 1% cap will make for a huge cut in our taxes. Given we're being slammed on several fronts in this economy, I'm not in much mood to volunteer to raise my taxes (or take less of a cut as they spin it).
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:47 pm
If the talk of voters at my polling place is any indication Franklin Township is voting NO across the board.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:49 pm
If the talk at my polling place is any indication, Franlklin Township voters are voting NO across the board.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:28 pm
In Warren township the voting was Dead to say the least. Of course the only question was about Wishard. I was the 39th person to vote at 4:00 pm.