Monroe County polls close; more than 15,000 ballots cast in primary election

Monroe County polls close; more than 15,000 ballots cast in primary election

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Polls closed at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Monroe County, with more than 15,000 ballots cast in the May 5, 2026, primary election.

Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne said 10,506 voters cast ballots in person on Election Day. Combined with 4,952 early voting ballots, the county recorded 15,458 total ballots cast.

Voters who were in line at 6 p.m. were allowed to remain in line and cast ballots.

Browne said results released Tuesday night will be preliminary and that nothing will be finalized Tuesday evening.

“As you await results, know that nothing will be finalized this evening,” Browne said in an update. “Totals sent out will be preliminary results only.”

Browne thanked poll workers, election officials and others who helped administer Tuesday’s election on behalf of the Monroe County Election Board.

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Monroe County primary turnout reaches 10,845 by early afternoon

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — More than 10,800 Monroe County voters had cast ballots by early Tuesday afternoon as rain moved into the area on primary election day.

Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne said 5,893 voters had checked in at polling sites as of 1:45 p.m. Tuesday. Combined with early voting, 10,845 voters had cast ballots, representing about 12% of all registered voters.

Browne said the rain had arrived but did not appear to be stopping people from going to the polls.

“It doesn’t look so bad from my little corner of the world but it appears that more rain is coming,” Browne said in an update. “Doesn’t seem to be hindering people getting out to the polls. Keep up the good work.”

The update came slightly earlier than Browne’s previous hourly reports. She noted she had taken a short lunch break after being awake for 12 hours.

Polls remain open Tuesday for voters participating in the primary election.

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Monroe County primary turnout tops 4,500 by noon

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — More than 4,500 people had cast ballots in Monroe County by noon Tuesday as primary election voting reached the halfway point.

Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne said 4,521 people had voted since polls opened Tuesday morning, bringing turnout to 10.5% of registered voters.

Browne said Election Day turnout was closing in on the number of ballots cast during early voting.

Two polling sites had each recorded more than 300 voters by noon: St. John’s and Emmanuel Church.

Rain had not yet arrived by Browne’s midday update, though forecasts showed it could begin around noon and continue for several hours.

“It’s lunchtime…treat yourself to something fabulous…and then vote before resuming the rest of your day,” Browne said in the update.

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More than 3,400 voters cast ballots by 11 a.m. in Monroe County primary election

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — May 5, 2026

More than 3,400 people had cast ballots in Monroe County by late Tuesday morning as voters headed to the polls for the May 5, 2026, primary election.

Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne said 3,434 people had voted as of 11 a.m., representing 9.3% of the county’s total registered voters in a non-presidential election.

Five polling sites had each recorded more than 200 voters by late morning: Eastview Church, Ellettsville Christian Church, Emmanuel Church, St. John’s and University Elementary School.

Rain was expected to arrive around noon, according to Browne, who encouraged voters to cast ballots before the weather worsened.

“Let’s get those numbers up before the downpour,” Browne said in an election update Tuesday morning.

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