Several citizens at the first public input meeting said they don’t want the Election Board to “put a price on people’s right to vote.”

What’s happening?

Recently, the Allen County Election Board announced it’s considering moving from the current system of 110 assigned precincts (based on your address), to 39 universal public voting centers, where anyone from the county could cast a vote.

• This means: the total number of voting locations might decrease by about 64%. This could potentially result in longer lines at the May 2026 midterm election, which is already shaping up to be a hot one locally and nationally.
• So far: The Election Board has hosted one public input session about the plan, which was attended by about 40 citizens and lasted about two hours. Approximately 20 citizens spoke at the meeting, and they all opposed the Board’s plan, citing issues with the number and location of the proposed voting centers.
• Up next: a second and final public input session is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. at Citizens Square (Room 030), after which the Election Board will likely act on the proposal.

So what important points came up at the first meeting? What do citizens think about the plan? And why does it matter?