The Tippecanoe County Board of Elections is recommending residents at higher risk for a COVID-19 infection vote by mail in the May 5 primary.
In a statement released Thursday, Tippecanoe County Clerk Julie Roush reminded voters the high-risk group includes those age 60 and older, or those with significant underlying health conditions. She said for now, nursing homes would no longer be used as voting centers for the primary.
Roush also urged “healthy voters” to vote early, a process that starts Tuesday, April 7 and ends on May 4.
On Thursday, the Tippecanoe County Health Department announced a second county resident had been diagnosed with a presumptive positive case of COVID-19.
“As events unfold, we will modify and initiate contingency plans designed to mitigate risks to voters and poll workers while ensuring we provide fair and accurate election services,” Roush wrote. “It is our goal to protect voters and poll workers by minimizing the risk of exposure to the virus.”
The chairs of Indiana's Democratic and Republican parties have asked the state Election Commissionto allow all Hoosiers to vote by mail.
The deadline for absentee ballot applicationsis midnight on April 23.