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AARP AARP States Indiana Voters

How to Vote in Indiana’s 2024 Elections

Important dates and election information

Key dates

  • Presidential and state primaries: Tuesday, May 7 
  • General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5

Voting at a glance

  • Absentee voting: Voting absentee-by-mail is only available to voters who are 65 or older or who have an approved reason, such as a disability or a work obligation.

  • Early voting: All registered voters can vote early by filling out an absentee ballot at an early voting location.

  • Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Before you cast your ballot, you’ll need to show an acceptable form of photo ID

Voting in Indiana

What to know about recent changes

  • A law that took effect in 2023 requires voters applying for an absentee-by-mail ballot to provide an acceptable form of ID
  • Redistricting in 2021 redrew certain boundaries of state legislative and U.S. congressional districts, which may affect your voting precinct. 

Voter registration

You can register to vote or update your registration:

The deadline to register for the primary election is Monday, April 8. Apply by 11:59 p.m. if online, by 5 p.m. if at the Indiana Election Division or by close of business at a registration office. Mailed applications must be postmarked by April 8.
You can check your registration status via Indiana's voter information portal or by calling 866-461-8683 (866-IN-1-VOTE).

Primary voting and party affiliation

Indiana operates as an open primary state, meaning formal party affiliation is not required to vote in a party’s primary. Voters can choose the primary they want to vote in but must only vote in one.

Note that Indiana election law says that to be eligible to vote in a party’s primary, you must have either voted for a majority of that party’s nominees in the last general election or must intend to vote for a majority of the party’s nominees in the upcoming general election, but secret balloting makes this law unenforceable.

Voters Cast Ballots During Midterm Elections

Ways to vote

Requesting an absentee ballot

Any registered voter can fill out an absentee ballot in person. But you’ll need to be 65 or older or have another approved reason, such as a disability, a work obligation or observance of a religious holiday to vote absentee-by-mail. You’ll need to reapply for a ballot before every election and can do so:

  • Online: Go to the state’s voter portal, select Visit My Voter Portal and follow the prompts for Vote By Mail.
  • By mail: Download, print and complete an absentee ballot application posted to the state’s voter portal (under Absentee Ballot Forms). Mail it to your county elections office listed at the bottom of the application. You can also call your county election board or the Indiana Election Division at 317-232-3939 to have an application mailed to you. 

Applications must be received by your county election board or the state election division by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, for the primary election.

A new law requires voters applying for an absentee-by-mail ballot to provide an accepted form of ID. That can be either a photocopy of an ID card that complies with the state’s photo ID law or one of the following: your Indiana driver’s license number, Indiana ID card number, unique voter ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. The state recommends that voters provide more than one number since at least one needs to match either your voter registration record or the number maintained by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Social Security Administration.

Returning an absentee ballot

Before returning your ballot, make sure you sign the back on the signature line. You can return your completed ballot:

  • By mail: Mail it to your county election board. A first-class postage-paid envelope is provided with the ballot. 
  • In person: Hand-deliver your ballot to your county election board or an early voting location. 

Ballots must be received — not just postmarked — by 6 p.m. on the primary election day, Tuesday, May 7.
You can track your ballot by visiting the state’s voter portal and selecting Visit My Voter Portal.

Voting in person before Election Day

Any registered voter can cast an absentee ballot in person at their county election board, circuit court clerk’s office or an early-voting site. Early voting for the primary election runs from Tuesday, April 9, through Monday, May 6, at noon, but hours vary by county. Find your county’s early voting dates, times and locations by going to the state’s voting portal and selecting Voting Locations, or by contacting your county election board.

Voting at the polls on Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Find your polling location by going to the state’s voter portal and selecting Voting Locations, or by contacting your county election board.

Voter ID requirements on Election Day

When voting in person, you must present an approved form of photo ID, such as an Indiana driver’s license, an Indiana photo ID card or a U.S. passport. Some exemptions exist for voters who have a religious objection to being photographed or live in a state-licensed facility (such as a nursing home) that also serves as their polling place.

If you forget your ID, you can cast a provisional ballot and have until noon on Friday, May 17, to verify your identity with your county election board.

Voting with a disability

Voters with disabilities have the option to vote absentee-by-mail, with further accommodations available for voters who need assistance filling out their application or returning their ballots. Visit the state’s absentee voting web page for more information on who can assist and how.

Voters with print disabilities — those unable to independently mark a paper ballot due to blindness, low vision or a physical disability that impairs manual dexterity — have an option to request electronic absentee ballots for all elections held during the calendar year. More information is available on the state’s absentee voting web page.

Indiana offers absentee voting by travel board for some voters, where a bipartisan team delivers the voter’s ballot and assists the person with completing their ballot. Those who are confined or who believe their polling place is not accessible to them, plus others, can apply. More information is available on the state’s absentee voting web page.

More information about candidates and key races

Key races:

  • U.S. President
  • U.S. Senate: One seat 
  • U.S. House: All nine seats
  • Governor and Lieutenant Governor
  • State Senate: 25 of 50 seats
  • State House: All 100 seats

Visit the state’s voter portal and select Who’s On The Ballot.

Editor’s note: This guide was updated on Jan. 10, 2024, with information about how to vote in the 2024 elections. 

Emily Paulin covers nursing homes, health care, and federal and state policy for AARP. Her work has also appeared in Broadsheet, an Australian lifestyle publication.

Also of interest

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