Maybe you’ve recently turned 18. Maybe you’ve never voted before. Or maybe you’ve recently moved to Indiana in the last few months.
If so, here’s how you can register to vote before the Indiana primary election May 5:
Who can vote in Indiana?
The Indiana Secretary of State website details voting requirements for Indiana citizens.
Hoosier voters must be both a U.S. citizen and Indiana resident to vote. Federal law mandates voters be at least 18 years old on or before the date of the next general or municipal election.
General elections allow voters to select candidates for local, statewide and federal offices. Municipal elections typically happen on odd-numbered years when there is no general midterm or presidential election and allow citizens to vote for certain local officials.
Hoosiers must also not be actively incarcerated after being convicted of a crime and must have lived in their voting precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election.
How do you register to vote?
Indiana voter registration requires a state-issued ID, like a driver’s license or an identification card.
Those looking to register online can visit indianavoters.in.gov. Registrants are required to list a driver’s license or ID card number and the citizen’s first and last name via an online form.
Voters can also check their registration status to ensure their county information is updated using a form on the website. Indiana’s voter portal also has information on candidates and polling locations.
To register in person, prospective voters can also print and fill out this form, then bring it to their county’s voter registration office. In Monroe County, that’s located at Election Central at 401 W. Seventh St., Suite 100 in Bloomington to register in-person. Those outside Monroe County can reference the second page of the registration form for their respective offices and addresses.
Hoosiers can also pick up a registration form by mail form at a local BMV or public assistance office. Residents can register to vote in person at a local BMV if they are there for another purpose, like getting a driver’s license.
Voter applications should be processed within 30 days of the initial application. Eligible voters whose applications are approved receive a voter registration acknowledgement card from their county office, meaning the registration is official.
If the applicant isn’t eligible, they will receive a denial notice. If the application is incomplete, a request may be sent for the needed information.
Important deadlines/dates to know
Hoosiers must register to vote on or before April 6, according to the Secretary of State’s website. Voters also must determine if they wish to vote by mail or in person by the same date. This form can be used to apply for an absentee ballot. Every absentee voter is required to reapply and the Secretary of State’s office encourages voters to do so as soon as possible to figure out alternatives if the absentee ballot is denied.
The Indiana primary election will be held May 5. In Monroe County, residents will vote for Democratic and Republican nominees for Indiana House races and U.S. Congressional districts, in addition to other local races.
