Here’s what to know about voting by mail in the 2024 election

A majority of states in the U.S. allow universal mail-in voting without any specific qualifications. But Indiana is one of just 14 states that places restrictions on who can request — and receive — an absentee ballot.

And it’s not a straight forward process for everyone, according to voting experts. It’s easy to run into issues, like not knowing what your voter registration number is or forgetting to update your voter registration address.

Questions should be directed to your location election board. There, election officials should help voters fix any mistakes on their mail-in applications before the deadline, said Marjorie Hershey, a political science professor at Indiana University.

Technical mistakes are easy to make and often harder to fix. But Hershey says mistakes shouldn’t stop people from casting their ballots on November 5.

"Voting is not a privilege in the United States,” Hershey said. “If you are an eligible voter, it is your right to cast a ballot, and the last thing we need is to have people discouraging people from doing so because of what is essentially a technicality."
 

Who qualifies for a mail-in ballot?

You must meet certain criteria — like being over 65 or having a disability — to vote by mail.

You can find the full list of qualifications on the Indiana Secretary of State’s website. The list also includes people who are confined due to illness or injury, caring for another person who is confined, working during all hours the polls are open, or observing a religious holiday on election day.
 

How to apply to vote by mail

To apply for a mail-in ballot, you must first be registered to vote in Indiana. You can register to vote or check your registration online at the Indiana My Voter Portal.

Once you’ve confirmed you’re registered to vote, you can request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application, or submit an application online using the Indiana My Voter portal.

The address on the application for a mail-in ballot must match the address on your voter registration. If it doesn’t, you have to submit another form, known as the VRG 4/12. You can access the form online or ask your local election board for one.

The deadline to submit the application for a mail-in ballot is October 24, and your ballot must be received by November 5. You can return your ballot by mail or by visiting a dedicated drop-off location.
 

What to do if you run into roadblocks

If you run into issues with your application to vote by mail, you’re not alone.

Julia Vaughn, executive director of the nonpartisan group Common Cause Indiana, says the state makes it too hard for people to vote by mail. She says people often make mistakes on their mail-in applications — like using the wrong voter registration number or not updating their address.

Vaughn says these mistakes often lead to rejected applications.

“We've got an overly complicated system that too many voters can't make it through," Vaughn said. "There are just lots of stumbling blocks and Hoosiers are stumbling over them.”

If you have issues, contact your local election board as soon as possible.
 

Farrah Anderson is an Investigative Health Reporter at WFYI and Side Effects Public Media. Contact her at fanderson@wfyi.org. Follow her on X @farrahsoa.