Time left to vote in the 2024 Indiana Primary
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By Marilyn Odendahl
The Indiana Citizen
May 7, 2024
The number of Hoosiers registering to vote in Indiana increased prior to the May primary, compared with previous years, according Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales’ office.
New voter registrations rose in the last month before the registration deadline by more than 20% from 2022 and more than 35% when compared with 2020, Lindsey Easton, spokesperson for the secretary of state, told The Indiana Citizen. In a press release, Morales credited state and county voter registration efforts with boosting the numbers.
“This is proof of our hard work,” Morales said in a prepared statement. “Now it’s time to get out to the polls and vote.”
Linda Hanson, president of the Indiana League of Women Voters, speculated the increase might be driven by some of the competitive races across the state, particularly in the 5th and 6th congressional districts, as well as for the governor’s office.
In a state that, according to the 2023 Indiana Civic Health Index, ranked 40th in voter registration and 50th in voter turnout in 2022, Hanson said the uptick is positive news. Perhaps, she said, some are signing up to vote because they are thinking “maybe my voice will count.”
Hanson noted registered voters will still have to overcome barriers to casting a ballot Tuesday. The polls are only open 12 hours, absentee voting is restricted, and opportunities for early voting are limited. Moreover, she said, first-time voters who registered online may have to provide additional proof of residency when they arrive at the polls on May 7.
“Indiana just does not give Hoosiers the support to vote we really need,” Hanson said.
In spotlighting the rise in registrations, Morales touted his office’s statewide voter outreach campaign and the 67 local election improvement grants, which were used for voter education and outreach activities. Morales also said the secretary of state’s office promoted voter registration on television, radio and digital media platforms and initiated a digital voter registration campaign aimed specifically at individuals who will turn 18 by the November general election and at groups that are underrepresented on the registration rolls.
“As a grassroots statewide elected official, I’ve been so passionate about our outreach and community engagement efforts as we’ve crisscrossed all 92 counties of the state for a second year in a row at a record pace,” Morales said. “We are so encouraged to see more eligible Hoosiers registered to vote.”
Hanson said as voters have become interested in the competitive races, they have also been frustrated by the lack of information on the candidates. To help inform voters, the Indiana League of Women Voters held a forum April 4 for all nine Republicans and two Democrats running in the 5th congressional district.
The League, Hanson said, has been working very hard to get Hoosiers to pay attention to the May 7 election. Since many races do not have a Democratic candidate running, the Republican winners will likely be elected in November, so, she said, voters need to participate because “the primaries are where the elections take place.”
Dwight Adams, a freelance editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org
