2020 elections

It’s unlikely Tippecanoe County will have new election machines to use in the 2020 election.

Election Board Chairman Randy Vonderheide calls it “very unlikely” machines can be purchased, certified and made compatible with existing e-pollbook software before the end of the year.

County Clerk Julie Roush says Indiana law mandates each county to take those steps by the end of the year preceding an election. So the deadline for the 2020 presidential cycle would be December 31, 2019.

Though Tippecanoe County Election Board members say they’re happy Purdue University is going to modify its identification cards, members Thursday indicated some current students might still be unable to vote unless they obtain a different ID.

Local election officials have, for more than a decade, allowed Purdue IDs to be considered valid forms of photo identification under the state’s voter ID law. But Election Board member Kent Moore says state leaders have adopted a new interpretation of statute.

Democrat Dee Thornton is running for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. She kicked off her campaign Monday.

Thornton ran against Republican Susan Brooks in the 5th District in 2018, and got nearly 44% of the vote as a first time candidate. It was the best showing for a Democrat since the district was drawn in 2002.

Thornton says her top priorities haven’t changed much since last year.