HAMMOND | A federal judge has transferred a decision on whether to open early voting centers in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago back to Lake Superior Court.

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen ruled Monday county judges should decide whether an Indiana law requiring unanimous bipartisan support of a county's elections board to open multiple locations for voting before the Nov. 4 general election violates the Indiana Constitution.

The Lake County elections board has voted by majority to open the early centers. However, the vote was not unanimous, with both GOP elections board members dissenting.

It was unclear Monday whether elections board Director Sally LaSota would open early voting centers tomorrow in the county courthouses at 15 W. 4th Ave., Gary; 232 Russell St., Hammond; and 3711 Main St., East Chicago.

Superior Court Judge Calvin Hawkins ordered early polling at those locations halted last week under a temporary restraining order requested by county Republicans. Lake Circuit Court Judge Lorenzo Arredondo ruled separately to open the centers. Meanwhile, Lake County Democrats, who advocate opening the early voting centers, took the case to Van Bokkelen's federal court in Hammond.

Following Van Bokkelen's ruling Monday, Hawkins set a new hearing date for 1 p.m. Tuesday in his East Chicago courtroom.

Lawyers for the county clerk and other Democratic members of the county elections board argued Friday in Van Bokkelen's court that it is unfair for the county to offer in-person voting only in the predominantly white community of Crown Point and not in the county's largest cities where the bulk of its black and Hispanic residents live and work.

Democrats argued that early, in-person voting is needed to avoid long lines expected on Election Day. Tens of thousands of new and updated voters were being added to the voter rolls this month.

Jim Wieser, an attorney for union groups seeking more early voting places, said as many as 30,000 people could take advantage of in-person early voting.

Lawyers for Republican GOP Chairman John Curley argued multiple early voting centers not only would violate state law but also would tax the county's ability to fend off voting fraud.

Gary Mayor Rudy Clay, who also is the Lake County Democratic chairman, said Monday the county elections staff has been vigilant in rejecting questionable voter registration and election practices, which should convince any judge that vote fraud is a non-issue.

"Voters can rest assured that Lake County is prepared to handle the upcoming election fairly, efficiently and honestly whether or not multiple early voting sites exist," Clay said.