Indiana

ID Needed for Voting

Photo ID is required of all voters casting a ballot in person. There are exceptions for certain confined voters and voters casting absentee ballots by... Read More

Official Results

Official results are never available on Election Day. Election officials are working around the clock to count an unprecedented number of ballots... Read More

Indiana Voting Information

Absentee Ballot Process

2024 General Election: Important Return Dates 

In Indiana, voted absentee ballots must be received by 6:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5th, in order to be counted. 

Absentee voting is available if you meet any of the criteria below. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 12 days before the election. You can return your absentee ballot request form through the mail, in person at your local elections office, or online. Voted ballots must be received by 6 pm (close of polls) on Election Day in order to be counted. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on your Secretary of State website. Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day.  

If you wish to have your absentee ballot sent to you by mail, you must meet at least one of the qualifying excuses on Election Day:

  • Have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from your county of residence on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6:00 am to 6:00 pm)
  • Be an election official
  • Be confined on Election Day due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open or caring for a confined person at a private residence.
  • Be a voter with disabilities that believes their polling place is not accessible to them
  • Be 65 years of age or older
  • Be a caretaker of an individual(s) confined to a private residence due to illness or injury and prevented from voting during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
  • Be scheduled to work for the entire 12 hours that the poll is open
  • Are prevented from voting due to observing a religious discipline or holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
  • Be participating in the address confidentiality program
  • Be a member of the military or public safety officer
  • Be considered a "serious sex offender"
  • Are prevented from voting due to not having transportation to the polls
  • A voter who is physically unable to complete the ballot and sign the affidavit on their own

Requesting an Absentee Ballot:

If you are eligible to vote absentee, you must fill out the absentee voting application. You must submit your application for an absentee ballot at least 12 days before the election. If you are a confined voter or a voter caring for a confined individual, there are other deadlines and requirements that apply. 

ID Requirements for Requesting Absentee Ballot

NOTE: 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 your driver's license number, state identification card number, unique voter identification number, or submit a photocopy of acceptable photo identification. 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. 

Voted ballots must be received by 6 pm (close of polls) on Election Day in order to be counted.

In-person Absentee Voting

State law requires counties to offer in-person absentee voting for 28 days leading up to the election, ending at noon the day before Election Day. All Indiana counties must also provide in-person absentee voting on the two Saturdays before the election.

Please click here to view your county’s absentee-in-person or “early voting” dates, times, and locations.

Request your Ballot

Ballot Notice and Cure Process

The deadline to cure (correct) your absentee/mail ballot is noon on November 13, 2024. Your county election board will notify you if there is a missing signature or a signature mismatch with your ballot and include instructions on filing an affidavit to correct the issue. If you cast a provisional ballot due to not having the proper photo ID, you may appear before the county clerk before noon on November 15, 2024, with your valid photo ID and fill out a form to correct the issue.  

You can check the status of your absentee/mail or provisional ballot by going to your state’s online tool and clicking on the “visit my voter portal” button. 

Campaign Finance Information

For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

For information on state campaign contributions, please visit your state's resource.

Candidate and Ballot Measure Information

Information on local, state and federal candidates and ballot measures may be available here.

 

 

Drop Boxes

No drop boxes available.  

Early Voting

In-person absentee voting can be done at your board of elections beginning 28 days before Election Day and no later than 12:00 pm on the day before Election Day. Each county has its own schedule, so be sure to check what the dates and times are in your area.

 

Election Dates

The next election date can be found here https://www.vote411.org/indiana.

For more information about your local elections please contact your local Board of Elections.

 

 

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to vote, you must be:

  • A citizen of the United States and a resident of Indiana
  • At least 18 years old on or before Election Day
  • Living in your precinct at least 30 days before the election.
  • Not currently in prison after committing crime
  • Apply to register to vote at least 29 days before the election in which you will be voting. Your registration application must be approved in order to vote

Incarcerated Voters & Returning Citizens: 

In Indiana, you only lose your right to vote if you are currently incarcerated for a misdemeanor or felony conviction. If you lost your voting rights because of a conviction, you could register to vote immediately after release. Your voting rights are not restricted by pretrial detention, misdemeanors, probation, or parole. 

Voters without traditional residence: 

Voters in Indiana with non-traditional residences, including those experiencing homelessness or those who live in motor homes, are still required to provide a sufficient location for local election officials to assign them to a precinct. If the person stays in multiple places, they should indicate the location where they usually sleep in the county when registering to vote. If the location lacks a street address, the person can provide a description or draw a map of their residence on an attached paper along with the state's voter registration form. Additionally, individuals with non-traditional residences must provide a mailing address within their county. Note: While a post office box can be used as a mailing address, it cannot serve as the residence address for determining the voting precinct. The county will process the application and send the acknowledgment card or notice of disposition (in case of rejection) to the provided mailing address. 

ID Needed for Voter Registration

If you register online you are required to provide a valid Indiana driver's license number or state issued ID number. If you register to vote by mail or in person, you are not required to show identification when registering to vote. However, if you are a first time voter who registered by mail, you may be required to provide additional documentation that matches the address on your voter registration record.

Those meet the following qualifications will need to provide additional documentation:

  • You registered to vote in the county between January 1, 2003 and January 1, 2006
  • or
  • You registered to vote in the state after January 1, 2006

However, this does not apply if you submitted an application at a license branch or other voter registration agency. If you are a military or overseas voter, or presented this documentation to the county voter registration office with your registration application, you are also exempt from the additional documentation requirement. You should be notified of this requirement when the county receives your registration application or absentee ballot application.

You may present any of the following types of documents to meet the requirement:

  • Indiana driver's license
  • Indiana state identification card, with your current name and address

NOTE: An Indiana driver's license or Indiana state identification card may meet both the photo ID requirement and the valid and current address requirement.

To fulfill the photo ID requirement the document does not need to contain an address that matches the address on the poll list, but must meet the other requirements. However, to meet the additional document requirement, you only need to present a document that contains a matching name and current address to the poll list.

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

ID Needed for Voting

Photo ID is required of all voters casting a ballot in person. There are exceptions for certain confined voters and voters casting absentee ballots by mail. Acceptable forms of ID include: driver's license, passport, military ID or picture ID from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The criteria for acceptable ID include:

  • Photograph
  • A name which matches the voter registration record
  • An expiration date after Election Day
  • Must have been issued by the U.S. government or the state of Indiana

A student ID from an Indiana State school may only be used if it meets all of the four criteria specified above. A student ID from a private institution may not be used for voting purposes. For more information for college students, click here.

If you do not have an acceptable form of ID you can get one for free from your local DMV location!

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline

Official Results

Official results are never available on Election Day. Election officials are working around the clock to count an unprecedented number of ballots, and it’s essential that they take the time to make sure every vote is counted.

Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day. Provisional ballots are counted 10 days after the election.

Official election results will be uploaded on Indiana’s Secretary of State website.

Official Results

Overseas and Military Voters

You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Poll Worker Information

You can make sure we have safe, fair, and efficient elections for all. Become a poll worker today!

In order to be a poll worker in Indiana, you must:

  • Be registered to vote in Indiana
  • Be at least 18 years of age (or 16/17 if participating in Election Day Live)
  • Be entitled to compensation
  • Be a resident of the precinct for the 30 days prior to the election
  • Complete required training

To sign up, contact your local board of elections.

Polling Place Hours

Polling places are open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on Election Day.

Polling Place Locator

If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.

Primary Election Process

Indiana is a “partially open” primary state. This allows voters to cross party lines, however, they must first publicly declare their ballot choice. Ballot selection may also be regarded as a form of registration with the selected party. 

If you have any questions about your state’s primary election, please contact your local election officials.

Provisional Voting

If you believe you are registered to vote in a precinct, but your name does not appear on the poll list, or if you have been challenged as not qualified to vote in your precinct, you will cast a provisional ballot.

A provisional ballot allows you to vote on Election Day, however, your provisional ballot will be kept separate from the other ballots cast in that precinct. After Election Day, the county election board will decide if you were qualified to vote in that precinct, and if your ballot should be counted. You will be able to contact your county election board to find out if your ballot was counted, and if not, why not.

Provisional ballots are counted 10 days after the election.

Provisions for Voters with Disabilities

The polling place for each precinct must meet accessibility standards under federal law.

The polling place must have facilities accessible to elderly voters and voters with disabilities so that these voters have the same opportunity for access, participation, privacy, and independence available to all voters. This includes:

  • Parking spaces marked and available for voters with disabilities with blue signage
  • An accessible path to the facility that an individual travels to reach the polls
  • Accessible entrances to the facility
  • The paths of travel within the facility to the space where the voting systems are located
  • The space in the facility where the voting systems are located

If you believe that the polling place for your precinct does not comply with accessibility requirements, contact your county election board as soon as possible to inform them about this problem. It may be possible for the board to make temporary or permanent changes to the polling place to make it more accessible for all voters.

For more information, you can utilize the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) resource.

Registration Deadline

The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before the election. Certain military voters and their family members may have until 12:00 pm on Election Day. 

You can now register to vote online! You will need a valid Indiana driver's license or state-issued ID card to complete the form online. You may also register to vote by mail or in-person by completing and returning a paper voter registration form to your county's voter registration office.

Time Off To Vote

Time off to vote is subject to the employer, there is no requirement for employers to grant time off to vote for employees.

Verify Voter Registration

To verify your voter registration status

 

click here!

Voting Machines

The voting machine systems used in Indiana are optical scan and DRE.

Optical Scan: With this system, you will receive a card or sheet of paper, which you take over to a private table or booth. The card has the names of the various candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or pencil you fill in a little box or circle or the space between two arrows. When you are finished filling out all the cards, you may bring the cards over to a ballot box, where poll workers will show you how to put the cards in the box. Or in some places, you may feed the completed cards or papers into a computer device that checks your card or paper right there at the polling place to make sure you have voted the way you want to and counts the votes.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE): This is the newest kind of system in use in the U.S. All the information about who and what you are voting for is on an electronic screen like a TV or computer screen.

There are many variations of DREs because lots of companies are inventing new ones, and many cities, counties and states are trying them out. Usually, after you have signed in, the poll workers will give you a card that you slide into a device to start your voting session.

Some of these devices will show all of the candidates and ballot choices on one big screen. Often, with these big screen devices you push a button next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for (or yes or no on a ballot measure). On other DREs, the screen is set up to show pages. On each screen or page, there will probably be one thing to vote on. For example, on one screen or page, you might vote for president. Then you might move to the next page to vote for senator. Often these small-screen devices have a touch screen, where you touch the screen next to the name of the person you want to vote for. Other devices have a key pad. Some have a keyboard, so you can write in the name of someone you want to vote for.

You let the system know you are finished voting by pushing a button, touching the screen or entering something on a keypad.

You can learn more about voting systems by checking out the Elections Assistance Commission's (EAC) resource or through Verified Voting.

Personalized voting information

  • See What's On Your Ballot
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  • Find Your Polling Place
  • Discover Upcoming Debates and Forum in Your Area

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Indiana Department of State

Secretary of State

302 West Washington Street

Room E-204

Indianapolis 46204


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