Hamilton County Commissioners OK Polling Locations, Child Care Center Agreement

Commissioners approve precinct polling sites and architecture deal for new facility

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:05pm

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The Hamilton County Commissioners have approved the precinct polling locations for this year's primary and general elections, as well as an architecture design and construction facilitation agreement for a new child care center to be built on the same site as the county's public safety center.

Why it matters

Ensuring accessible and secure polling locations is critical for maintaining a healthy democracy, while the new child care facility will provide much-needed services for county employees and residents.

The details

The commissioners approved 105 polling locations for 2026, down from 111 in 2024, as some sites have backed out due to lack of space, security concerns, or ongoing construction projects. The county clerk noted growth in certain townships has also necessitated changes. Meanwhile, the commissioners approved an agreement with Halstead Architects Inc. to design and oversee construction of a new child care facility on the same campus as the Hamilton County Public Safety Center, which is currently under construction. The child care center's estimated $6 million construction cost will be managed by the architecture firm.

  • The next commissioners meeting is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. on March 23 at the Hamilton County Judicial Center.
  • The 2026 primary and general elections will use the newly approved precinct polling locations.

The players

Kathy Williams

Hamilton County Clerk, who noted that some polling sites have backed out for various reasons like lack of space or security concerns.

Christine Altman

Hamilton County Commissioner, who said Halstead Architects Inc. was chosen for the child care center project due to their expertise in day care facility design.

Halstead Architects Inc.

An Indianapolis-based architecture firm that was awarded the contract to design and oversee construction of the new child care facility on the Hamilton County Public Safety Center campus.

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What they’re saying

“We have people who aren't letting us come to their place anymore. We've lost some, we've combined some precincts. We grew in some areas, especially Wayne and Washington townships (and) had some annexations.”

— Kathy Williams, Hamilton County Clerk (youarecurrent.com)

“When we did (a) day care study, and we did all the pricing and everything else, the vendors who did that study that have expertise recommended this group.”

— Christine Altman, Hamilton County Commissioner (youarecurrent.com)

What’s next

The next commissioners meeting on March 23 will likely provide more details on the child care center project timeline and construction plans.

The takeaway

Hamilton County is taking proactive steps to ensure accessible and secure polling locations for upcoming elections, while also investing in new community resources like the child care facility to support county employees and residents.