Voter Education Guide: �Everything you need to know for the 2024 General Election

Developed by Niki Messmore, Director of Medical Service Learning.

Adapted from the Indianapolis League of Women Voters’ voter registration guide and the Indiana Secretary of State website

Medical Student Education

Please note that med students are not permitted time off from class or clinic to vote. Please ensure you are voting early if you have school and/or work commitments on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov 5^th)

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Table of Contents

1. Important Dates
2. How do I get started? First: Nonpartisan voter education resources!
3. Getting Started: How to use the Indiana Voter Portal: A step by step of what to expect https://indianavoters.in.gov/
4. Voter Eligibility
5. Are you registered to vote? Don’t assume: Double check!
6. How to register to vote
7. What is Absentee Voting?
8. Absentee Voting by Mail: Rules for Indiana
9. Apply for an Absentee Ballot online (Indiana)
10. Apply for an Absentee Ballot via paper application (Indiana)

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10. Patient Resource: Vote Absentee via Travel Board
11. Photo ID Laws: Remember to bring this when voting in person
12. Early Voting Information (also known as “absentee voting in person”)
13. Apply for an Absentee Ballot via paper application (Indiana)
14. Returning your Absentee-By-Mail Ballot
15. IU Recommendation for Students: Vote Absentee and here’s why
16. Voting on Election Day in person: Where to Go
17. What should I expect when voting in person? What documentation do I need?
18. How do I know who/what to vote for?
19. What are my rights as a voter?

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Important Dates

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These key dates are shared via the IN Secretary of State’s Office - see website for additional dates.

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• Monday, October 7^th – Voter registration deadline in Indiana (in person at county election office, by mail, or online via www.indianavoters.in.gov)
• Tuesday, October 8^th – November 2^nd - All registered Indiana voters are eligible to vote early in-person at the county clerk’s office. Contact your County Clerk’s office to find locations and hours for early voting.
• Thursday, October 24^th – Last day to submit an application to vote by absentee ballot to the circuit court clerk in order for them to mail you a ballot. Applications can be done in person, by mail, fax, email or via www.indianavoters.in.gov until 11:59pm
• October 26^th until November 4^th – Early voting sites are open in Marion County. Check your specific county for local details.
• Tuesday, November 5^th – General Election Day! Polls are open 6:00am – 6:00pm. If you are standing in line waiting to vote by 6:00pm, you can still vote, so stay in line!!
• Indiana Absentee Ballots must be received by your county circuit court clerks or satellite office. If you plan to mail the ballot instead of in-person delivery, you will want to mail in advance of the deadline. Ballots received after 6pm will not be accepted.

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How do I get started?��First: Nonpartisan voter education resources!

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Nonpartisan Resource: Vote 411

1. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan grassroots organization that is dedicated to voter education and outreach.
2. Vote 411 is an amazing resource. You can look up voting info state by state, register to vote, find out what’s on your ballot, and more!

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Vote 411 features

This is a great resource on their homepage, especially if you are an out of state student.

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Example:

Their website includes multiple categories on voting information in each state!

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Getting Started: How to use the Indiana Voter Portal: �A step by step of what to expect��https://indianavoters.in.gov/

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https://indianavoters.in.gov/

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If you are already registered to vote, it will welcome you back and give you these options:

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Voter Eligibility

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Voter Eligibility

Indiana Requirements:

1. Have resided in your voting precinct at least 30 days before the next election
2. Not currently be imprisoned after conviction of a crime.

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Federal Requirements:

1. Be a citizen of the United States
2. Be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election (Nov 5^th)
3. Be REGISTERED to vote

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Residency Requirements for College Student Voters in Indiana

1. Indiana law requires that voters must register to vote at the address of their “permanent residence”.
2. You can only have one (1) permanent residence.
3. Students can claim:
• the address they traveled from to attend school (example: your parents’ home) as their permanent address
• Or they may claim their permanent residence as the community in which they are attending school (example: your current apartment).
4. It is your choice as to what to claim. Some students prefer to vote ‘back home’ as they may be more aware of current politics there. Other students may wish to vote at their school address to connect more strongly with their new community.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/civics/voters/voter-resources/

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Are you registered to vote?��Don’t assume: Double check!

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States and their Voter Removal Laws

Source

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If you think you are registered, double check!�

There are many new laws this year around the country that have made it easier to remove voters from the polls.

• Check that your registration is active before Monday, October 7, 2024 (last day to register to vote)
• Out of state students: Look up the last day to register to vote in your state!

How to check your registration:

• Use Voter 411 no matter where you live: https://www.vote411.org/check-registration
• If you are registered in Indiana, their Voter Portal is easy to use: https://indianavoters.in.gov/

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Example: New Indiana law HB 1264

Signed into law this year, House Bill 1264 does the following:

1. Requires election officials to compare voter registration information with BMV records to identify noncitizens (although it is extremely rare for noncitizens to attempt this)
2. People they flag have 30 days to provide proof of citizenship or their registrations will be canceled. This is difficult for some people to produce quickly.

The concern:

• More than 8,000 Indiana residents are naturalized each year, and those who take the oath of citizenship may still be marked as noncitizens in the database until they renew their licenses. A similar law passed in Texas but it was rescinded after multiple lawsuits.

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Please remember to double check that you are registered to vote, and if you are not, complete a voter registration application.

• Use Voter 411 no matter where you live: https://www.vote411.org/check-registration
• If you are registered in Indiana, their Voter Portal is easy to use: https://indianavoters.in.gov/

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How to register to vote

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How to register to vote (remember, you can be registered in Indiana or your home state as a college student)

1. Vote 411 is an amazing resource. You can look up voting info state by state, register to vote, find out what’s on your ballot, and more!
2. If you live outside Indiana and want to be registered in your home state, use Vote 411 or find your local election office back home
• Look up your home state on the website to find the voter reg information
• If you happen to be home on election day or early voting day, some states allow same day voter registration (https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-voter-registration)
3. If you live in Indiana:
• direct online application is: https://indianavoters.in.gov/, If you register online you are required to provide a valid Indiana driver's license number or state issued ID number.
• or apply via paper application and submit to the local board of elections (https://www.in.gov/idr/hoosiers-vote/files/2022-Voter-Registration-Form.pdf)

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Requirements for Registering by Paper Application to Vote for the First Time in Indiana

Note: You can register to vote online via https://indianavoters.in.gov/

As a first-time voter in Indiana, if you register to vote by mailing your paper application to your county voter registration official, you will be required to present documents at the polls that confirm your residence address if you registered by mail. Acceptable documents include:

1. Indiana Driver’s License or Indiana State Identification Card, with the voter’s current name and address
2. Any current and valid photo ID issued by the U.S. government, State of Indiana or a Native American Indian tribe or band recognized by the United States government that contains the voter’s current name and address
3. A current utility bill, with the voter’s current name and address
4. A bank statement, with the voter’s current name and address
5. Government check with the voter’s current name and address
6. Paycheck with the voter’s current name and address
7. Other government document that shows voter’s current name and address
8. NOTE: An ID issued by the US Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marines, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or Veterans Administration), the Indiana National Guard or a Native American Indian tribe or band recognized by the United States government is not required to have an expiration date, or may state that the document has an "Indefinite" expiration date.
9. This is in addition to the photo ID requirement.  For more information please visit, http://www.photoid.in.gov/.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/college-students/

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What is Absentee Voting?

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Absentee Voting Options:

1. Registered voters can complete an absentee voter application to vote by mail
2. Or they can do ‘in-person absentee voting’. This is usually referred to as “early voting”
• Indiana State law requires counties to make in-person absentee voting available for 28-days before the election, ending at noon (local prevailing time), the date before the election.
• In addition, all Indiana counties must make in-person absentee voting available the two Saturdays immediately before the election. Please visit indianavoters.com to view your county’s absentee-in-person or “early voting” dates, times, and locations.

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Absentee Voting by Mail:�Rules for Indiana

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Eligibility to vote absentee by mail in Indiana

To vote absentee-by-mail in Indiana, a voter must be able to personally mark their own ballot and sign their name to the completed ballot security envelope and have a reason to request an absentee vote-by-mail ballot:

1. You have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 am until 6 pm).
2. You have a disability.
3. You are at least 65 years of age.
4. You will have official election duties outside of your voting precinct.
5. You are scheduled to work at your regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
6. You will be confined due to illness or injury or you will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
7. You are prevented from voting because of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
8. You are a participant in the state's address confidentiality program.
9. You are a member of the military or a public safety officer.
10. You are a "serious sex offender" as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a).
11. You are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.

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https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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ID Requirements for Requesting Absentee Ballot

Starting in July 2023, when you request your absentee ballot using either the paper application or online, you will need to provide:

• the last four digits of your social security number
• and either one of the following:
• your driver's license number,
• OR state identification card number,
• OR unique voter identification number,
• OR submit a photocopy of acceptable photo identification (driver license, passport, BMV ID Card, etc)

If you fail to provide these ID numbers, you will have an opportunity to cure your request, but it may result in a delay in receiving your mail ballot. 

https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/

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Apply for an Absentee Ballot online (Indiana)

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After logging into your IN Voter Portal…

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After logging into your IN Voter Portal

Clicking submit will take you to the application

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Apply for an Absentee Ballot via paper application (Indiana)

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Completing the paper application to vote absentee by mail: What you need to know

Use this website for full details, and highlights will be shared in this ppt: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

1. A voter does need to file an application before each election for which the individual wants to vote absentee-by-mail.
2. To vote absentee by mail, a voter must first complete an ABS-Mail (En Espanol) application before each election. The application to request a vote-by-mail ballot must be received not later than 11:59PM, 12-days before the election.
3. Important! The county or the state must have the application in their possession by this deadline; any application received after this deadline – even if it’s postmarked before the deadline – cannot be processed.
4. Voters can download and print the ABS-Mail form OR call their county election official or the Indiana Election Division at (317) 232-3939 for an application to be mailed to the voter OR visit their county election office or election division to pick-up an application in-person. Remember, the application must be in the possession of election officials by the deadline to be processed for the election.

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Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Paper Absentee Apps Require Documentation

Beginning July 1, 2023, a voter must provide with any absentee ballot application EITHER a photocopy of identification card that complies with the state’s photo ID law OR one or more of the following voter identification numbers:

1. the voter’s Indiana driver’s license number or Indiana identification card number;
2. the voter’s unique voter ID number assigned to their voter registration record in SVRS; or
3. the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number.
4. If the voter is providing a photocopy of their identification card, the county will evaluate whether the ID complies with the state’s photo ID law (IC 3-5-2-40.5) before processing the absentee application. https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/photo-id-law/. Absentee applications can be sent by email; therefore, scanned image or a photograph, for example, of the voter’s identification is acceptable.

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Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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About the Voter ID number (if you opt for this):

• If the voter opts to provide a voter identification number instead, then the voter only needs to provide one of the three numbers noted above. However, it is recommended that the voter provide more than one number since at least one will need to match the voter’s registration record or, if not available on their registration record, match against the number maintained by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Social Security Administration. If a voter ID number is not on the voter’s registration record AND the voter ID number is successfully matched against BMV or Social Security records, then the number will be added to the voter’s registration record.
• The voter’s absentee ballot application may be delayed if the county election board cannot match at least one of the identification numbers with the voter's registration record or with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Social Security Administration OR a photocopy of the voter’s identification card is not included in the application. Voters will receive notice from their county election administrator if an absentee application is found defective or is rejected.

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Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Options for Submitting your Absentee App:

Hoosier voters who are currently registered to vote can file an absentee application:

1. Online at www.indianavoters.com by logging in to their “my voter portal page” by entering the requested information exactly as it appears on their voter registration record. When on the main landing page, the voter selects the “ABS-Mail” or “ABS-Mail (Por Correo)” option and enters the information as prompted. After clicking “submit,” a confirmation screen appears that allows the voter to download and retain a copy for their records. There is no need to sign and return the online submission since the system applies the voter’s registration signature to the application on the back end.
2. By mail or hand-delivery. Physical addresses to the county election boards are found on the back of the ABS-Mail application. Please contact their office directly to determine office hours. Remember, if you take custody of another’s absentee ballot application, you are to deliver it to the election official not later than noon, ten (10) days after receiving it OR the application deadline, whichever comes first.
3. By email. This requires the voter to print, sign, and scan or photograph their absentee ballot application and, if applicable, a copy of the voter’s identification card and send it to the county election official or the Indiana Election Division at elections@iec.in.gov.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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FYI for First Time Voters Who Vote Absentee

A first time voter in Indiana who registered to vote by mail and did not provide proof of residency either with their voter registration application or absentee ballot application will be asked to provide the documentation before 6 p.m. on Election Day.

The notice will be included in your absentee balloting materials from the county.

Proof of residency can be a state-issued ID where the address matches the voter’s registration, but can also be a bank statement, utility bill, government document, etc. where the address on the document corresponds to the voter’s registration address.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Returning your Absentee-By-Mail Ballot

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Returning your Absentee-By-Mail Ballot

• FIRST: If your application is reviewed and approved by bi-partisan county election officials, a ballot packet is mailed to you. This packet will include your ballot, the absentee voter bill of rights, and a first-class postage pre-paid return security envelope.
• A voter may have assistance completing their ballot in addition to assistance with placing the ballot inside the envelope and sealing it. The assistor cannot be the voter’s employer or union representative or their agent, however, be sure the assistor completes the affidavit of assistance! The voter should sign the ballot envelope (or make their mark) on the signature line. A voter’s power of attorney (POA) may attest to the voter’s signature but is to enclose their POA with the ballot materials inside the security envelope and complete the affidavit found on the absentee return envelope.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Deadline for Absentee-By-Mail Ballot

• County election officials must receive an absentee-by-mail ballot not later than 6:00 p.m. (local prevailing time) on Election Day. County election officials must have possession of the ballot by this deadline; postmarks – even if dated on or before the date of the election – cannot be considered timely.
• Finally, pursuant to state law, only the voter, the voter’s attorney-in-fact, a bonded courier, or a member of the voter’s immediate household, or a member of the voter’s family may hand-deliver a completed absentee ballot to the county election board, including delivery to any early voting location.
• Any person other than the voter doing so is to complete the ABS-19 affidavit.
• A voter’s family is defined as the spouse, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece whose relationship to the voter is the result of birth, marriage, or adoption.

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Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Example: Submitting Absentee Ballots in Marion Co

• If your application is approved, you will receive an absentee-by-mail ballot via the United States Postal Service.
• When you receive your ballot, please read all instructions that accompany your ballot in the envelope. Ensure your precinct is correct and the ballot has two sets of initials on the back. Your precinct can be found on the bottom-right corner of the ballot.
• Make selections on your ballot for each contest in which you wish to vote, sign the secrecy envelope, and return your absentee ballot to the Election Board in the postage-paid envelope.
• You may also hand deliver your ballot to the City-County Building (W-144), Election Service Center at 3737 E Washington St., or any Early Voting location.
• You can also drop off your marked ballot at any Vote Center before 6:00 p.m. on Election Day.
• Applications and ballots postmarked by the deadline, but physically received after the deadline, cannot be processed by the Election Board.
• If someone other than you, the voter, will be delivering your marked ballot, this individual must meet the statutory criteria listed at the top of the ABS-19: Affidavit of Individual Delivering a Voter’s Marked Absentee Ballot to County. Generally, the only people authorized to return a ballot for another person must be a member of the voter’s household, relative, or attorney in fact. If so, they must complete and sign the ABS-19 form when delivering someone else’s ballot.

Source: https://vote.indy.gov/vote-absentee-by-mail/

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Troubleshooting Absentee-By-Mail Ballot Issues

• Before Election Day, a voter who has an absentee application on file can fix most issues by filing an ABS-5 form with county election officials. Examples include spoiling a ballot because the voter made an error, mistakenly signing your name on your spouse’s ballot envelope, forgetting to sign your ballot envelope, or receiving the wrong ballot or a ballot lacking two sets of initials.
• However, in the primary election, a voter may not use the ABS-5 to switch parties. Once an absentee application is on file for the election, the party selection cannot be changed.
• On Election Day, a voter who requested an absentee ballot but never received it in the mail may complete the PRE-5 affidavit at their polling location and vote a regular ballot, if otherwise qualified;
• OR - A voter may surrender their absentee ballot to the Inspector, who can then issue a regular ballot, if the voter is otherwise qualified;
• OR - A voter who had their absentee ballot rejected by county officials may appear before the county election board not later than 5PM on Election Day to request an ABS-21 form and then go to their polling place to vote a regular ballot, if otherwise qualified.

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#ABSENTEE_VOTING_BY_MAIL

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Patient Resource: �Vote Absentee via Travel Board

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Troubleshooting Absentee-By-Mail Ballot Issues

1. Absentee voting by travel board is an option for some voters to have a bi-partisan team deliver the voter’s ballot and assist the person with completing their ballot during the 19-day period before the election. To vote absentee-by-traveling board, one of the following must apply:
1. The voter expects to be confined, due to illness or injury, or the voter expects to be caring for a confined person at a private residence, on Election Day.
2. The voter is a voter with disabilities and believes their polling place is not accessible to them.
3. The voter is physically unable to complete the ballot and sign the affidavit on their own.
2. Voters voting by traveling board must complete an ABS-Traveling Board application before each election. The application to request a travel board must be received not later than noon (local prevailing time), the day before the Election.
3. Learn how people can apply: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#TRAVEL_BOARD

Source: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/#TRAVEL_BOARD

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Photo ID Laws: �Remember to bring this when voting in person

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Photo ID Law for Indiana

• Bring a valid government-issued photo ID: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/photo-id-law/
• Under Indiana Code 3-5-2-40.5, which defines "proof of identification", your photo ID must meet 4 criteria to be acceptable for voting purposes. It Must:
• Display your photo
• Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record. Conform does not mean identical. View the website for examples of this
• Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last General Election (November 8, 2022)�NOTE: An ID issued by the US Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marine, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or Veterans Administration), the Indiana National Guard, or a Native American Indian tribe or band recognized by the United States government is not required to have an expiration date, or may state that the document has an "Indefinite" expiration date.
• Be issued by the State of Indiana or the U.S. government
• In most cases, an Indiana driver's license, Indiana photo ID card, Military ID, or U.S. Passport is sufficient.

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Your Crimson Card is a valid ID to vote!

Why:

A student ID from an Indiana State school may only be used if it meets all of the 4 criteria specified above…which the Crimson Card meets! ☺

A student ID from a private institution may not be used for voting purposes.

However: your name on your ID MUST conform to your legal name (see the prior slide).

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What if I forget my ID?

• If you are unable or unwilling to present an ID meeting these requirements, you may cast a provisional ballot. If you cast a provisional ballot, you have until noon 10 days after the election to follow up with the county election board and either provide the necessary documentation or affirm one of the law’s exemptions applies to you. [IN Photo ID Law website]
• Learn more about provisional voting:
• A provisional ballot allows you to cast a vote if:
• There is a question about your qualification to vote in the precinct (for example, you are not on the poll book), which is not resolved by a fail-safe procedure and you believe you are qualified to vote in the precinct; or
• You have been challenged as not qualified to vote in your precinct (for example, you did not have photo identification).

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Early Voting Information�(also known as “absentee voting in person”)

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What is ‘Early Voting”?

1. ANY INDIANA RESIDENT CAN VOTE EARLY
2. Those who would like to vote in person, but can’t make it to the polls on Election Day may vote early.
• Indiana State law requires counties to make in-person absentee voting available for 28-days before the election, ending at noon (local prevailing time), the date before the election.
• In addition, all Indiana counties must make in-person absentee voting available the two Saturdays immediately before the election. Please visit indianavoters.com to view your county’s absentee-in-person or “early voting” dates, times, and locations.

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How do I learn where to go to early vote?

1. Contact your local county board of elections/county clerk office. In Indiana you can find that here: https://indianavoters.in.gov/CountyContact/Index
2. Ex: Marion County (Indianapolis) has multiple sites (with a map!) https://vote.indy.gov/early-voting/

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IU Recommendation for Students: ��Vote Absentee and here’s why

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IUSM strongly encourages students to vote absentee (by mail or early voting)

1. For Indiana residents: Absentee Voting By Mail law requires that you have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 am until 6 pm).
2. We believe the vast majority of students will be in class, clinic, small group, study group, or other school/work obligation. Many students are not registered, either, in the same county as their campus.
• All of this = This status would qualify you to vote absentee by mail
3. Anyone in Indiana can vote early in person! WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THIS.

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Please note that students are not permitted time off from class or clinic to vote. ��Please ensure you are voting early if you have school commitments on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov 5^th)

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Voting on Election Day in Indiana: Where to Go

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Vote at a Voting Center on Election Day

1. https://indianavoters.in.gov/ 🡪 Log into your profile and it will tell you where you can vote, if it must be at an assigned precinct or if it is at a vote center.
2. Many (but not all) IN counties have vote center. You can vote at ANY SITE within the county you are registered View the list here: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/vote-centers/
• Marion County (Indianapolis) has MANY sites all listed online. Find the one closest to you: https://vote.indy.gov/vote-centers/ . They also have a full vote center plan online.
3. What is a Vote Center? Vote centers offer flexibility and convenience to voters, by allowing them to cast a ballot at any county location of their choosing on Election Day. Using vote centers is an alternative to traditional precinct-based voting, where voters were assigned a specific voting location in their neighborhood.
• IU-Indianapolis campus has a voting center ON CAMPUS inside the main library! 755 W. Michigan St. Indianapolis IN 46202

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What should I expect when voting in person? ��What documentation do I need?

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Required documentation when voting in person

1. Have your photo ID
2. First time voters may need to provide additional residency information especially if there is not an address on their photo ID or there is an address but it is not the same as the address they are registered to vote at. Review scenarios here.
• To be on the safe side, bring additional documents no matter what. Other documents that meet the additional documentation requirement:
• Any other current and valid photo ID that contains your current name and address
• A current utility bill with your current name and address
• A bank statement with your current name and address
• A government check with your current name and address
• A paycheck with your current name and address
• Other government documents that show your current name and address

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When you show up to vote:

1. Check in! Counties may vary, but in Marion Co - The traditional printed poll book has been replaced by a simple-to-use electronic Poll Pad. Poll workers now simply scan a voter’s valid photo ID and instantly access county voter registration records, resulting in a faster voter check-in. [source]
2. You are prohibited from “electioneering” near the polls or at the polls by law. Don’t wear clothing promoting a candidate, political party, or ballot issue, do not vocally urge others to vote a certain way, etc.
3. In Indiana there are two major types of machines in use: Direct Record Electronic (DRE) and Optical Scan (OS). Additionally, each county is required to have at least one accessible machine per polling place. In the following list, organized alphabetically by county, you can see voting systems used in your county.
• Marion Co ex: Voters mark their ballots securely on the ExpressVote touchscreen machines —generating the ballot specific to the voter, no matter which polling place they choose. The ExpressVote provides a printed ballot, which allows voters to verify their selections before casting the ballot in the DS200 tabulation machine and provides a paper trail for every vote.

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Optional: Bring a sample ballot

1. Log into https://indianavoters.in.gov/ and access your sample ballot. You can also get this from your local election board.
2. This tells you everything you can vote for. Do your research and figure out in advance how you’d like to vote. You can bring this with you.

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How do I know who/what to vote for?

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Look up your sample ballot

1. Log into https://indianavoters.in.gov/ and access your sample ballot. You can also get this from your local election board.
2. This tells you everything you can vote for. Do your research and figure out in advance how you’d like to vote. You can bring this with you.

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As an example: Sample ballot for Marion County in Perry Township

Note: Marion County is selected since the person completing this document is registered here and is using her own Indiana Voters portal

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As an example: Sample ballot for Marion County in Perry Township, part 2

Note: Marion County is selected since the person completing this document is registered here and is using her own Indiana Voters portal

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As an example: Sample ballot for Marion County in Perry Township, part 3

Note: Marion County is selected since the person completing this document is registered here and is using her own Indiana Voters portal

Note: RFK Jr has suspended his presidential bid and endorsed Donald J Trump. However, he will remain on the ballot. People can still vote for him since he is on the ballot but he is no longer running per statements in late August 2024 {source: AP}

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Learning more about candidates and social issues

1. Non-partisan sources like the League of Women Voters (LWV) can be one method. LWV asks candidates to complete a questionnaire and shares their responses on key political topics. Their Voters’ Guide only includes candidates’ responses and no commentary, and can be found here later in September: https://www.vote411.org/ballot.
2. “Vote Smart provides free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to all Americans.” https://justfacts.votesmart.org/elections
3. There are other sources, too! Be mindful of media bias as you review candidates and issues on the ballot.

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What are my rights as a voter?

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Voter Rights

There are many governmental and non-partisan organizations that publish on voter rights

1. Review the Indiana Bill of Voters’ Rights: https://www.in.gov/idr/hoosiers-vote/know-your-rights/ (view Spanish version here)
2. Voters with disabilities have specific rights around accessibility and aid with voting [read more]
3. If you feel your rights were violated you can file a complaint to the government.
4. Nonpartisan nonprofit organization ACLU has an easy-to-read breakdown of your rights at the polls, including for voters who speak English less than “very well”.
5. For anyone in the U.S. – If you experience voter intimidation or feel your rights are being violated, you can call Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español). [source]

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Questions? Contact your state’s Secretary of State office or your local election board

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