WARRICK CO., IN (WFIE) -
Warrick County is trying to clear their voter rolls. They say they believe nearly ten percent of registered voters no longer live in the area.
Warrick County Clerk Sarah Redman says they received complaints from voters trying to remove people who have passed away or moved away, but she says unless you go through the proper process, they can't be removed from the voter rolls. That's something the clerk's office is trying to get done before this November's election.
The clerk's office has been busy checking the voter registration of about 47,000 residents.
"We actually got slammed today," Redman said.
Slammed with thousands of post cards marked undeliverable, meaning the registered voter no longer lives at that address.
"It's a lot of man hours," Redman states.
If a resident doesn't recognize the name on the post card, they are instructed to mail it back.
"I received a card for a lady that had lived in my home approximately five years ago. I followed procedure. I marked return to sender on the card and mailed it back to myself at the office," Redman said.
The next step for the clerk's office is filing, stamping, alphabetizing, and trying to find a forwarding address.
If there is no forwarding address, the person will be marked inactive for two federal elections.
"At the end of those two elections if they do not vote, they are cancelled in the system," Redman said.
All in hopes of coming up with more accurate numbers.
"We looked at the 2008 turnout numbers for voters, and we know that was probably a record of any election," Redman said.
But the percentage of voter turnout didn't reflect that. The inactive registered voters were skewing the results for voter turnout.
"We are estimating at least ten percent should be removed," Redman states.
The clerk's office has until August 8th to file those inactive accounts before the November elections.
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The clerk's office has been busy checking the voter registration of about 47,000 residents.
