Absentee, voter registration deadline nears

GREENCASTLE -- Absentee voting will be available for the May 4 primary election from April 5 to noon May 3 on the second floor of the Putnam County Courthouse.

Any Putnam County registered voter qualified to vote in the primary election may vote, in advance, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the courthouse. The courthouse will also be open for absentee voting from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 24 and May 1.

A voter now must provide a government issue photo identification before casting a ballot in person at the clerk's office or at the polls on Election Day. The identification must fit the following criteria:

* ID must display photo

* Name on the ID must confirm with voter registration record. Confirm does not mean identical.

* ID must contain an expiration date and either still be current or have expired sometime after Nov. 4, 2008, the last general election day.

* The State of Indiana or the US Government must issue the ID.

Any person requiring an absentee ballot to be mailed to them in county, out-of-county or out-of-state must complete an application for an absentee ballot.

Forms are available at the voter registration office, on the second floor of the courthouse, and must be filed before the ballot can be mailed. The deadline to receive an application for an absentee ballot to be mailed is midnight April 26.

For those individuals confined to their homes due to illness, injury or a handicap, a request may be made the ballot be brought to their home by a traveling board or can choose to have a ballot mailed by filing out the application for an absentee ballot.

A voter wishing to vote by mail or traveling board does not have to comply with the new photo ID law. To request an absentee ballot application, contact voter registration at 655-1538.

The deadline to register to vote is April 5.