Indiana municipal elections moved to presidential election years under Senate bill

Indiana mayors, city and town clerks and councilors would be elected in presidential election years under a bill, SB 355, approved by a Senate committee Monday.

Elections for municipalities of at least 3,500 people currently take place in the odd-numbered years before presidential elections.

Kegan Prentice, Indiana secretary of state legislative director, said presidential election years have higher turnout than off-year elections. And he said there would be significant cost savings.

“Municipal elections, we see about 20 percent voter turnout,” Prentice said. “When we’re talking about cost maximization, you’re looking at multiple dollars — $10 per voter. Whereas, in a presidential election, you’re spending less than 50 cents per voter.”

Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood, a Republican, said his community spends about $40,000 for its municipal elections.

“I don’t believe you can put a price on democracy, but that is a very small price to pay,” Wood said.

READ MORE: Indiana has low municipal election voter turnout. One organization offers a solution
 

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Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne, representing the Indiana Clerks Association, said consolidating elections would be a logistical help.

“This would also be a benefit for clerks who already struggle to recruit and retain quality poll workers,” Browne said. “We simply do not have those people wanting to turn out in municipal elections in the same way that we do if it’s a presidential year.”

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, also a Republican, said while voter turnout might be higher, the quality of those voters — when it comes to being informed — would suffer. He said local races would be buried under so many higher ballot offices.

“There is very little room for conversations about local school issues, police and fire, outdoor recreation and quality of place,” Jensen said.

There is an opt-out for communities that don’t want to move their elections. The local council would have to approve a resolution, with voters then approving a ballot referendum on the issue.

The bill advanced to the Senate floor along party lines, but multiple Republicans who voted for it expressed reservations about the measure.
 

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.