Record-setting early voting ended yesterday, and all that’s left is the Election Day in-person turnout today.

Polling locations across the state are going to be open from 6 to 6 Tuesday as voters across Indiana makes choices in races ranging from president and governor, down to local school boards.

A month of early voting wrapped up at noon Monday. Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps reports that nearly 21,000 voters cast ballots at the Fair Oaks Mall early voting site with another 6,675 early votes through the mail. That total of 27,518 early votes means more than half of the county’s registered voters have already cast their ballots. The Secretary of State’s Office yesterday said 1.8 million people in the state voted before Election Day.

In Bartholomew County, voters will have several choices to make include three at-large seats on the County Council. Incumbent Republicans Bill Lentz, Matt Miller, and Evelyn Pence are running against Democrats Tiffany Bosley, Olisa Humes and Claudette Schroer.

There are also three contested school board races on the ballot with a three-way race for District 3, with incumbent James Persinger facing challengers Todd Grimes and Mike Jamerson. In District 5, incumbent Pat Bryant is running against challenger Jennifer Corsi, and in District 7, Lacretia Ulrey is running against Nicole Wheeldon. Incumbent Jeff Caldwell is not seeking re-election to that seat.

In statehouse races, Republican Rep. Ryan Lauer is being challenged by Democrat Dale Nowlin for District 59  covering most of Columbus and Bartholomew County. Republican Rep. Jim Lucas is facing independent Katrina “Kat” Hardwick and Democrat Jeffery Prewitt for District 69 which includes very southern Bartholomew County as well as parts of Jackson, Jennings and Jefferson counties.

Republican State Sen. Eric Koch is facing Columbus Democrat Cindie Wirth for the District 44 seat which includes western Bartholomew County. Republican State Rep. Sean Eberhart is running unopposed for his District 57 seat, which includes northeastern Bartholomew County.

In Hope, Democratic Town Council member Nellie Meek is running her first re-election campaign against Republican challenger John Walstead.

Several Bartholomew County races are going uncontested this election, including two seats on the County Commissioners, which will still be held by Republicans Larry Kleinhenz and Tony London. Former Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde is running unopposed for Judge of Bartholomew Superior Court and Clayton Nolting will win re-election as County Coroner with no opponent.

On Tuesday, voting will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at one of 12 vote centers around Bartholomew County. Those will be located at:

1. Flintwood Wesleyan Church, 5300 25th St, Columbus
2. St. John’s Masonic Lodge, 4131  Rocky Ford Road, Columbus
3. Fair Oaks Mall, 2104 25th St., Columbus
4. Donner Center, 739 22nd St., Columbus
5. River of Living Water Christian Church, 51 N. Brooks St., Columbus
6. Terrace Lake Church, 4260 W. County Road 200S, Columbus
7. Westside Community Church, 124 Tipton Lakes Blvd, Columbus
8. Elizabethtown Fire Station, 10203 E. Legal Tender Road, Elizabethtown
9. Hope Moravian Church, 202 Main Street, Hope.
10. Clifford Fire Station, 7850 N. Depot St., Clifford
11. German Township Fire Station, 9428 Main St., Taylorsville.
12. Ogilville United Methodist Church, 11910 S. East State Road 58, Ogilville.

Correction: Due to a reporting error, Evelyn Pence’s husband, Dr. Ben Pence was incorrectly identified in earlier versions of this story. We apologize for the error.

Six candidates are running for the three at-large seats on the Bartholomew County Council — three Democrats, and three Republicans.

Incumbent Republicans Bill Lentz, Matt Miller and Evelyn Pence are running against Democratic challengers Tiffany Bosley, Olisa Humes and Claudette Schroer.

We talked to the candidates recently about various issues. Pence is originally from Bartholomew County and is retired from Cummins. She attended IUPUI and graduated from the National School of Aeronautics. She is married to Dr. Ben Pence and is finishing her 40th year on County Council.

Our interview with Pence:

The Indiana National Guard will mobilize teams of guardsmen on Monday to 133 of the state’s facilities hit the hardest by the pandemic, said Inside Indiana Business. Brigadier General Dale Lyles said the state is also planning to expand its national guard assistance to all 534 of the state’s long-term care facilities over the next three weeks. The guardsmen will assist with prevention checklists, data entry, staff and visitor screenings and wellness checks at the healthcare facilities through the end of the year.

Kroger is offering coronavirus antibody tests.

The FDA has authorized the grocery store chain to begin using antibody tests. The test requires a quick blood sample from your finger, which can let a person know if they’ve been infected with coronavirus in the past. Kroger says the tests cost $25 and results come back within 15 minutes. They will be available at all of their pharmacies and clinics by the end of November.

A Clifford man and woman were arrested Tuesday evening on multiple charges after Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies assisted Bartholomew County probation officers during a home check.

Jason Matthew Grider, 39, of Clifford, was arrested at his residence on Tuesday.

During the check, officers located a significant amount of narcotics.  Grider, who was on probation, for about three months, after serving almost ten years on a narcotics manufacturing charge, was arrested and taken to the Bartholomew County Jail and booked with several drug related charges.

He remains in the Bartholomew County Jail without bond.

Another occupant at the residence, Amy Rivera, 36, was also arrested and charged with multiple drug charges.

She remains in the Bartholomew County Jail and held on a $91,000 bond.

Six candidates are running for the three at-large seats on the Bartholomew County Council — three Democrats, and three Republicans.

Incumbent Republicans Bill Lentz, Matt Miller and Evelyn Pence are running against Democratic challengers Tiffany Bosley, Olisa Humes and Claudette Schroer.

We talked to the candidates recently about various issues. Miller is a Columbus native  who served as a sheriff’s deputy and owns Raft to Rafters Pool and Spa. He has a degree in aviation flight technology from Purdue University. He is finishing his first term on the County Council and has served for the past two years as council president.

Our interview with Miller:

You can hear more from Miller on our website and the rest of the candidates, later in the week.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office K9, Bravo, has recovered from two surgeries to repair an on-the-job injury (torn ACLs) to his right and left knees.

There were no complications during the surgeries and veterinarians have given him the OK to return back to duty and a normal life .

Along with his service to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Bravo has been a great deal of assistance to the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) Unit and several out-of-county agencies.

Bravo has been in service since September, 2019.  He has been deployed five times on foot pursuits, 86 times to locate illegal drugs and he has assisted deputies with numerous warrant services.