Primary prep: What to know about Allen County's vote centers, key races + more

Hey Locals,

Early voting is underway for the May 5 primary election, and Allen County is seeing an increase in the number of candidates running for office this year (compared to the last midterm primary in 2022). There’s also a new voting system in place.

You might remember: Allen County switched to a “vote center county” this year, so you don't have an assigned precinct voting location. Instead, registered voters can cast a ballot at any designated vote center. (See a list here.) 

So… How might the new system affect voter turnout? What’s one local race to watch? And how might state and national factors play into local primaries?

Here’s what we found out.

1. How might voting centers affect voter turnout?

To learn more about changes related to voting procedures, we spoke to:

• Amy Scrogham, Director of Elections for the Allen County Election Board (ACEB)
• Betsy Kachmar, President of the League of Women Voters in Fort Wayne

Here are a few quick things to know:

• Allen County is joining nearly 70 other Indiana counties* in switching to vote centers. The ACEB’s 2026 Vote Center Plan allots at least one vote center per 10,000 registered voters, with locations roughly five miles from voters. At minimum, state code requires at least 26 vote centers total.
• Kachmar thinks the switch to vote centers “should be easier for ACEB to maintain consistent service” than the previous precinct system, which had more, but smaller voting locations. Under the previous system, Allen County had 110 polling locations spread across the county with fewer voting machines each. Now, in total, Allen County has seven early voting sites, and it will have 53 vote centers on Election Day with 10 voting machines at each location, as well as “backup equipment available,” Kachmar says.
• Still, some voters are concerned about long lines and poll management at vote centers – especially considering last fall’s NACS referendum. In fact, a reader reached out to us about their experience last fall, including long lines and a lack of voting machines and poll workers for the referendum. Perhaps as a result, the referendum failed by about 600 votes,* causing major financial losses for the district. Our reader said they heard from supporters who “never got to cast a ballot because they had to leave to go to work, or couldn't find parking, or the lines that stretched into the grass were no longer wheelchair accessible.” 
• Scrogham tells us that while the NACS referendum occurred during a special election, this spring’s primary will feature far more locations and machines to handle more voters. If issues arise on Election Day, voters can also notify poll workers, or contact electionboard@allencounty.in.gov to file a complaint, Scrogham says. 
• One additional feature that may boost voter turnout in the future is access to real-time wait information at the county’s various vote centers. Kachmar says the Election Board has mentioned being able to provide this data. However, the Election Board says it will not have real-time wait information available in time for this spring’s primary.
• Overall, Kachmar says public reception to vote centers has been positive. Her “favorite part about being able to go to any of the 53 locations on Election Day is that you can take your favorite people with you, no matter where they live in Allen County. Vote with your grandparents, youth group, co-workers.” In other words, you might make a day of it! (But, hopefully, you won’t have to spend all day.)

2. One local race to watch? County Commissioner.

There are multiple county positions on the ballot this spring, including township trustees and board members. But one big local race to watch is county commissioner, specifically the D3 primary.

Why? Two of Allen County's three commissioner seats are up for grabs this year, and the turnout could lead to changes in how Allen County government operates.

• For a quick refresher: Allen County government operates differently from Fort Wayne’s city government, which you might be more familiar with. At the city level, executive and legislative powers are divided among the mayor (executive) and City Council (legislative). Council also reviews/approves city spending. However, at the county level, responsibilities are divvied up differently. Allen County is led by three county commissioners, which function as both the executive and legislative branches, and County Council only reviews/approves county spending.
• You might remember: This became a hot talking point in 2023, when Allen County’s three commissioners – then-Nelson Peters (D1), Therese Brown (D2) and Rich Beck (D3) – sought to spend $300M+ on a new county jail, but reached an impasse with County Council, delaying the project for months. (We interviewed Andy Downs about this in a Q&A where you can learn more about county government structure.)

So why does this matter now? Basically, Allen County’s commissioners have had a significant amount of power, but this power balance might be shifting as longtime commissioners retire and newcomers are elected. 

• In 2025: Ron Turpin claimed Nelson Peter’s D1 commissioner seat when he retired.
• This year: Brown and Beck are also retiring, putting the D2 and D3 seats on the ballot.
• As a result: County Council member Paul Lagemann tells WANE 15 council plans to have “a discussion” with the new commissioners about changing how county government operates, especially considering the county population has surpassed 400,000 residents. “Two brand new commissioners will come online in 2027, which is a pretty big sea change, in fact, one of the biggest in my lifetime,” he says.

So who’s running for county commissioner?

Candidates seeking the District 2 commissioner seat are running unopposed in each party’s primary: Republican Ozzie Mitson and Democrat Kate Conner. So this race won’t heat up until November.

However, the District 3 seat, currently held by Beck, is turning into a hot primary contest between Republican candidates, Ewelina Connolly and Paul Moss.* (Democrat Jorge Fernandez is unopposed.)

One quick thing to know about each candidate:

• Connolly is stepping down from her role as CEO of Amani Family Services to run for office. As commissioner, she says she would focus on public safety, economic development, and quality of place. While Connolly has served as a Republican precinct committeeman, this is her first run for public office.
• Moss is a retired healthcare executive who previously served two terms on Allen County Council and was also a St. Joe Township Advisory Board Member. His priority is to ensure county government is “fiscally responsible, transparent, and accessible.” 

3. What other state and national factors might play a role in the primary?

Along with local positions up for grabs, all Indiana state and U.S. Representatives will also be on the ballot, as well as half of Indiana’s state senators. And there’s no shortage of state and national news that may sway voter opinions. 

Here are three factors on our radar:

1. Fallout from Indiana’s recent redistricting fight:

• Trump has backed a number of Indiana legislators who supported Indiana’s failed mid-decade redistricting proposal championed by his administration.
• Even still, Liz Brown (who supported redistricting) faces a primary challenge from Darren Vogt, who’s earned endorsements from Senator Jim Banks and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.

2. Secretary of State Diego Morales, who serves as the state’s Chief Elections Officer, has drawn controversy and allegations of corruption.

• Morales was recently banned from the Marion County election center after accusations of campaign law violations.
• A recent column in Fort Wayne Business Weekly questioned his heavy travel schedule; Morales has been attending GOP events across the state while raising controversy for supplying “personal voter data on nearly 5 million Hoosiers” to the Justice Department – a move many states refused.

3. The SAVE Act and other issues.

• Federal proposals, like the SAVE America Act (which Senator Todd Young has co-sponsored), if passed, would change identification requirements for voters.
• In the meantime, there’s still plenty of confusion amongst voters as to what is currently required in Indiana to vote.
• Kachmar tells us: “Voters have expressed concern about what ID will be acceptable for the primary.” For more information, the Allen County Election Board FAQ includes details on voting IDs.

A few more voting resources for you:

• Journal Gazette Election Coverage
• Indiana Capital Chronicle 2026 Voter Guide
• Indiana Voter Portal
• Vote 411: Election information from the League of Women Voters Education Fund

Thanks for reading and considering all of this, Locals, and good luck voting out there!

Got any specific voting questions or experiences you want to share? Hit reply to this email, and let us know. 

Have a good weekend!

Your Reporter and Editor,

Rachel Horton and Kara Hackett