Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 4, 1950.
16,000 Are Expected To Cast Ballots
Porter county voters will go to the polls next Tuesday for one of the most feverish, important and crucial “off year” elections in the last 20 years of the nation’s history. More than 21,000 are registered to cast ballots, but only about 16,000 people are expected to vote.
Because of the many issues involved, international, national, state and local, this year’s runoff has assumed a heightened interest that eclipses any of past presidential campaigns. It has been both bitter and hard fought.
With stirring appeals of rival chieftains, business and civic leaders and organizations “ringing in their ears” it is expected that the voting duty will be heeded in greater fashion than in previous plebiscites.
Both Republican County Chairman Robert L. Bibler and Democratic County Chairman David Parry were equally confident that their parties would poll a substantial vote.
Portage Vote
Democrats are banking on a heavy vote in Portage township which has a large labor population employed in the Calumet district. The township has shown an abnormally large increase in population within the last few years.
Estimates on the size of the vote Tuesday vary considerably but political observers generally believe the total number of ballots to be cast will be near 16,000, with it being admitted generally that the republican county ticket will poll a majority of the votes.
Preparations for the legal machinery which will handle voting Tuesday practically are completed. Today inspectors of the 44 voting precincts received their supplies from the election commissioners at the office of County Clerk Freeman Lane.
Polls will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., giving voters 12 hours in which to cast their ballots. Every attempt will be made to get a heavy early vote to prevent any jamming at the polling places during the final hours of the day.
State candidates on whom voters will ballot Tuesday include a United States senator, secretary of state, auditor of state, auditor, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, clerk of the supreme and appellate courts, judge of supreme court, first district; judge of supreme court, third district; judge supreme court, fifth district; two judges of appellate court, first district; two judges appellate court, second district. Also to be elected are one representative in congress; judge of the Porter circuit court; prosecutor of the 67th judicial district; one joint senator; one joint representative; clerk of the Porter circuit court, county auditor, county treasurer; county recorder, county coroner, county surveyor, county assessor, county commissioner, second district; county commissioner, third district; four county councilmen, first, second, third and fourth districts; three county councilmen-at-large.
In the twelve townships of the county, trustees, justices of the peace, constables and advisory board members are to be selected.
Every effort is being made to get out the vote. In Valparaiso a joint committee of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce and Valparaiso Junior Chamber of commerce has arranged to provide cars to haul the voters to the polls and also have provided for baby sitters where mothers have young children and cannot leave them.
Democrats closed their campaign in the county Friday night in the democratic headquarters, Lincolnway and Michigan, with a pre-election rally. Atty. Henry Sackett, of Gary, democratic nominee for judge of the supreme court, fifth district, was the main speaker.
New faces will be seen on precinct election boards in a number of Porter county districts next Tuesday. A number of changes have been made in inspectors, who will all be republican, and also among clerks, judges and sheriffs.
AN UNUSUAL STUNT in the Jaycees’ Get-Out-the-Vote campaign was staged in the business district today to encourage citizens to go to the polls Tuesday. Here Jack Kain, sporting the latest thing in stripes with appropriate ball-and-chain accessories, is under the scrutiny of “Guard” Walt Wieggel. The sign: “I did not vote when I had the chance,” was expected to catch the eye. Jaycee officials also hope that would-be voters will catch the idea.
(Polaroid One-Minute Photo by The Vidette-Messenger)
