Marion County voters avoid long lines with wait time tracker, new accommodations

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Marion County voters are tapping into new resources to find shorter voting lines and requesting accommodations to skip lengthy waits amid record-shattering early voter turnout.

Several people waiting to cast their ballots Monday evening at the City-County Building said they selected their voting location and strategically chose lower traffic voting times with the help of a free online wait time tracker.

IndyVoteTimes.org, a new website created by nonprofit organization Vote Safe Indiana, provides verified wait times for six major polling locations across Marion County.

Volunteers manually track the average wait time for voters standing in line, then report and post the data on the website.

“It’s much appreciated,” said Amber Morgan, an Indianapolis resident who voted Monday. “A lot of people in line have been talking about checking on the times before we pick locations, and picking days and sweet spots, so I think it’s very helpful.”

Another early voter determined lines outside the City-County Building moved faster in the evening after monitoring IndyVoteTimes.org for several days.

“The early bird coming to this thing does not get the worm!” said Adrian Barnes.

Marion County voters with physical limitations and families with small children do not have to find shorter lines; they can request to be escorted to the front of voting lines by deputies or poll workers.

Parents, people with disabilities, people who are immunocompromised, pregnant women and other Hoosiers can request accommodations by contacting their polling locations.

Morgan, who did not request or require accommodations, had no complaints about waiting in the rain for more than an hour to cast her ballot.

“People do it for Black Friday shopping and other things,” she said. “I feel like this is just as important or more important.”