Voters' guide to the primary election

Tuesday is Primary Day in Indiana.

Voters from across the state will turn out to vote for the Republican and Democratic parties’ slates for the general election in November.

What is the primary?

Primary elections happen in May. Unlike the general election, the primary is a single-party ballot.

When they arrive at the polling site, voters choose whether they want to vote as a Republican or a Democrat and are given a ballot of hopeful candidates for the respective party. Voters cannot cast ballots for both parties.

The winners of the primary will appear on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

Who’s running?

Though there are many races affecting Bloomington in this primary, only seven are contested.

U.S. House of Representatives
District 9, Republicans Mark Jones, Kathy Lowe Heil, Todd Young

U.S. House, District 9
Democrats Bill Bailey, James McClure, J.S. Miller, William “Billy” Thomas

Monroe County Clerk
Democrats Ashley Cranor, Linda Robbins

Monroe County Sheriff
Democrats Mike Pershing, Stephen Sharp, Catherine “Cathy” Smith, Brad Swain

Monroe County Council, District 2
Republicans Marilyn Brinley, Brian Ellison, Jennifer Mickel, Paul White

Monroe County Council, District 4
Republicans Barak “Barry” Jayne, Greg Knott

Bloomington Township Board
Democrats Kim Alexander, Dawn Allen, Robert “Bob” Loviscek, Barbara McKinney, Bill Sturbaum

What do you need to vote?

First and foremost, every voter must be registered to vote in Indiana. You can check your registration status at indianavoters.com. If you can’t find yourself in the database there, try any other names you might be registered under and then call the Monroe County Election Board at 812-349-2690.

State law also requires a valid state ID at the polling place.

“The biggest thing is ID,” Monroe County Election Supervisor Ruth Hickman said.

State-issued IDs include Indiana driver’s licenses, passports or student ID cards from any state college or university, including IU and Ivy Tech Community College.

Those who don’t bring an ID are issued provisional ballots that only count if they bring in an ID to the county clerk’s office by noon May 16.

“We don’t turn people away,” Hickman said. “It’s their responsibility to bring in whatever piece is missing.”

Where do you vote?

Voting takes place in precincts based on the voter’s registered address. You can check that on indianavoters.com, too.

Student voters, in particular, should make sure to check where they’re registered and where the correct polling place is.

“Say in 2012 when you registered you lived in a dorm and now you live in Varsity Villas,” Hickman said. “Of course you’re not on the rolls. You registered to vote in 2012 when you lived in Foster Quad.”

Those who have moved recently should go to whatever polling place is listed on indianavoters.com and then change their registration address so they’re ready to go for the general election, Hickman said.