According to the Indiana Bar Foundation Civic Health Index, Indiana has consistently had some of the lowest voter turnout rates in the country. Photo by Adobe Stock.

By Joe Ulery
Indiana News Service

INDIANA — It is now too late for Hoosiers to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election, as the window has closed.

Indiana is now in the next phase of the election process but only for registered voters. Today, early in-person voting started in all 92 Indiana counties and continues until Nov. 4. The next several weeks offer registered voters the option to vote before Election Day on Nov. 5.

Kate Sweeney Bell, Marion County Clerk, said by voting early, residents can directly influence Indiana’s direction on critical issues impacting their personal freedoms and daily lives.

“I want every voter who is listening to this to know that their vote matters,” Bell emphasized. “I know that there are people who don’t believe that. I know that there are people who don’t want you to believe that. I’m an expert; your vote matters.”

Several pressing issues shape this election. Education remains a key issue, with debates over K-12 funding, teacher pay, and workforce development. Recently, state laws on abortion have pushed reproductive rights into the spotlight, making personal freedoms a central topic as candidates share their views on bodily autonomy.

Regardless of which issue drives Hoosiers to the polls, Bell stressed it is imperative to cast a ballot.

“Any time a voter does not vote on Election Day, if they vote early by mail, or if they vote early in person, it’s considered absentee voting,” Bell explained. “If they’re a military or overseas voter, that is considered absentee voting.”

In Indiana, you can vote in-person absentee for at least seven hours on the two Saturdays before Election Day. If your county has fewer than 20,000 voters, officials have an option to cut time frames to four hours on each of those Saturdays.