Editor's Note: In our first Civic Engagement story this summer, we brought you GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann's perspective on why voting in local elections matters. You can find that here. This story below is the second in our series for the 2024 Presidential election. Please exercise your civic duty to vote!
Election Day across the nation is Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Are you registered?
In the State of Indiana, the deadline to register to vote for the 2024 Presidential election is 29 days before the election: October 7, 2024. If you’re looking to register to vote in your first election, checking out our first-time voter prep article can help you learn more about the process of registering and researching.
If you’ve voted before, you can easily check if you are registered by visiting IndianaVoters.in.gov and clicking on Check Voting Status.
Do that now, well before Election Day, you have time to address any problems. The information on this portal is maintained by your local county clerk of the circuit court in conjunction with the Indiana Secretary of State's Office. If your voter registration information is not correct, update it via your IndianaVoters portal (accessed after checking your registration) or by contacting your local county elections office. If you’re still experiencing issues, the Hava Administration (Help America Vote Act) email is HAVAADMINISTRATOR@SOS.IN.GOV.
Voting absentee-in-person and absentee-by-mail
To vote absentee-by-mail, you must submit your request for an absentee ballot no later than 12 October 25, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. local time, but it’s best to make your request as early as possible. If you're a registered voter and you know you need to vote by mail, log in to your voter portal page at IndianaVoters.com and click on Voting Information on the left, then Absentee Ballot. From there, you can download the application to vote absentee-by-mail that must be returned to the county by the deadline above. You can mail, fax, email, or hand-deliver your application. Follow all instructions on the form.
The 2020 election gave all voters the option to vote absentee-by-mail, however the 2024 election will return to the normal restrictions of absentee-by-mail voting. To see if you are eligible for absentee-by-mail voting, click here.
If you submit your request for an absentee-by-mail ballot by the October 25 deadline, you should receive your ballot to cast in time for the November 6 election.
You can also vote absentee-in-person (or, in other words, early voting), but per Indiana Election Committee order, early voting in-person is available from Tuesday, October 8, 2024 to Monday, November 5, 2024. Check your local county election commission for hours and details.
Voting on Election Day
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m., November 6 for voting.
In Indiana, a photo ID is required to cast your ballot in person, whether early or on Election Day. A valid photo ID should include your name, your photo, an expiration date no earlier than November 8, 2022, and must be issued by the State of Indiana. Typical photo IDs used for voting include an Indiana driver’s license or an Indiana identification card.
Some polling places in Northwest Indiana counties may have changed since the last time you voted. If you plan to vote in person, get familiar with your polling location early. Again, you can easily check your polling place by visiting IndianaVoters.com and clicking on Voting Location.
Problems casting your ballot on Election Day
If you arrive at your polling place on Election Day and encounter an issue, such as, you believe you are registered to vote but officials do not have your information correct or cannot find it in the records, you can still cast a ballot. The Indiana Voter's Bill of Rights allows voters to cast a provisional ballot if there is a question about the voter's qualification to vote in that particular precinct. If you are denied a traditional ballot, simply say, "I am requesting a provisional ballot" and the poll worker will help you with that process.
The next story in our Civic Engagement Series will guide voters on how to learn about the candidates who are on the 2024 election ballot. If you have information about virtual candidate forums or helpful places where voters can find information about who the candidates are, and where they stand on issues of importance to those in the Region, email your information to share@greatnews.life.
