Notes on Voting
By: Lilly Thumm
November is just around the corner, and so is Indiana's Midterm Election on November 8th. This year's midterm is following the controversial overturning of Roe v Wade by the Supreme Court, but this is not the only relevant case with repercussions. It is up to voters like you to reflect on the future you want to see and who can get you there before hitting the polls. It is also important to examine the weight your vote holds as a Hoosier.
The Voting Process
Step 1: Register to vote
Step 2: If necessary, apply for an absentee ballot or in-person absentee voting
Step 3: Find your polling location and times
Step 4: Make sure you have a valid photo ID
Step 5: Educate yourself on candidates
Step 6: If you can, go in person and vote!
Step 7: Check the status of your ballot
Technology has changed the modern voting process. For some, it has made it more accessible, and for others, it may be more confusing. Options like early voting and mail-in-ballots might be new to you, but there are plenty of resources that explain them in detail. Below is a list of different voting resources you can consult for upcoming and future elections:
Find your voting location
You will need to bring a photo ID, and if you’re a first time voter, proof of residence
If you don’t have ID, you can cast a provisional ballot and will have 10 days to follow up with necessary documentation for your ballot to count
Early voting and in-person absentee voting
You will need to bring a photo ID, and if you’re a first time voter, proof of residence
You can check county’s early voting dates, times, and locations at your Voter Portal
State law requires counties to have in-person absentee voting open for 28 days before the election, as well as the two Saturdays prior to election day which would be October 29 and November 5
Your mail-in ballot will only count if received no later than 6:00 p.m. on Election Day
The latest you can request a vote-by-mail ballot is no later than 11:59 p.m., 12-days before the election which would’ve been October 27
The Future of Voting
Voting education is vital to the future of voting because, without it, citizens don’t have the necessary resources to take civil action and have their voices heard. Historically, Indiana has had a low voter turnout. This could be because of a lack of civic interest, or a lack of knowledge about how to vote.
One article expresses how Indiana colleges have reported an increase in student voter turnout. The article quoted Julia Vaughn, the executive director of a nonpartisan group called Common Cause Indiana, who stated that the abortion ban has inspired young voters to get out this November. A student at Indiana University, Isabelle deCastro, was also quoted explaining a grant the school recently received to improve voting efforts like free Ubers to voting centers.
These steps towards a more civically engaged future are reassuring, but there is still work to be done every year to ensure Hooiser’s are represented by those who share the same goals and values as their constituents. Voters may not be directly tied to how justices are chosen for the Supreme Court, but they do have a say in the president who picks them and the legislators who make laws following a ruling.
There are two pending Supreme Court cases that could change the landscape of Indiana: Merrill v. Milligan and Moore v. Harper. Both relate to redistricting and gerrymandering and have the potential to limit voices of voters of color and minority party voters.
Merrill v. Milligan comes out of Alabama where a legislative redistricting would have given only one district a majority Black vote. According to Rick Hasen who is an expert on election law and director of Safeguarding Democracy Project, the Supreme Court's decision could “‘lead to many fewer congressional and state and local legislative districts in which minority voters may be able to elect their preferred candidates to office.’”
Moore v. Harper, according to one article, comes out of North Carolina where a Republican legislature passed a gerrymandered redistricting map that allowed Republicans to have an advantage over US House seats. If the Supreme Court reverses the lower court ruling to keep an illegally gerrymandered map, it would, according to CNN, limit state courts’ abilities to determine if “new voting laws comply with state constitutions.”
Each of these pending cases, if ruled in favor of redistricted maps, could allow more debates over what is a fair map in Indiana, and less room for constituents to have the people they want represent them and make positive changes in Indiana.
Voting in this upcoming election can change how legislators respond to Supreme Court rulings. If you don’t know who to vote for, the Indiana Voting Portal has a way to search for the candidates running within your district, and you can seek their position on every issue you wish to see addressed.