Voter Registration Continues To Climb As Indiana's Deadline Approaches

Indiana’s registration deadline to vote in November’s election is Tuesday. More Hoosiers are registered already this year than in any election for more than a decade.

The total number of registered voters is approaching 4.8 million as the registration deadline nears. It’s about 200,000 voters more than any election since at least 2002. Downs Center for Indiana Politics director Andrew Downs says the surge is in part new voters, but he notes he’s often found many people on the voter rolls don’t realize they’re registered.

“They may have gone to get their driver’s license and registered to vote and didn’t think about it,” Downs says. “Or they registered to vote at the last presidential election and didn’t realize that was still in play.”

And Downs says it’s hard to predict the election impact of voter registration numbers. He says producing results is more about getting people to vote – and he adds campaigns focus more of their time on regular voters than new or infrequent ones.

“If you’re talking to someone who is not registered, you’re actually convincing them, number one, to register; number two, to vote; and number three, to vote for you. That’s a lot of convincing that you have to do,” Downs says.

The registration deadline is Tuesday. Early voting begins Wednesday.

How to Register

Indiana residents with a valid Indiana driver’s license or Indiana state-issued identification card will be able to submit a new voter registration application or to update an existing voter registration record online at indianavoters.com.

The site also provides voter registration status, polling place location, provisional ballot status information, county contact information, and a tool to determine “Who's on My Ballot?” for an upcoming election.

To register to vote or update your current registration in person, complete and return the  Voter Registration Form to your county’s voter registration office or the Indiana Election Division. You can also apply in person at the voter registration or county clerk’s office, any BMV license branch or public assistance office.