Hoosiers who want to vote by mail in this fall’s election have to get in their application by the end of the day Thursday.
In Indiana, not everyone is eligible for vote-by-mail. They must fall under one of about a dozen acceptable categories:
- I have a specific, reasonable expectation of being absent from the county on election day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
- I will be confined to my residence, a health care facility, or a hospital due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
- I will be caring for an individual confined to a private residence due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
- I am a voter with disabilities. NOTE: if you are unable to mark the ballot or sign the ballot security envelope, you must contact the county election board to process your application.
- I am a voter at least 65 years of age.
- I will have official duties outside of my voting precinct.
- I am scheduled to work at my regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
- I am unable to vote at the polls in person due to observance of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire twelve (12) hours the polls are open.
- I am a voter eligible to vote under the “fail-safe” procedures in IC 3-10-11 or 3-10-12.
- I am a member of the Indiana National Guard deployed or on assignment in Indiana or as a public Safety Officer.
- I am a “serious sex offender” (as defined in IC 35-42-4-14(a)).
- I am prevented from voting due to unavailability of transportation to the polls.
If you qualify for any of those reasons, you must submit an application to your local election administrator’s office by the end of the day Thursday. If you submit the application in person, that deadline is 5 p.m. But you can also apply online, at IndianaVoters.com, by midnight.
To apply, you will need one of three numbers: your Indiana driver’s license or state ID card number, the last four digits of your Social Security number or a voter ID number tied to your voter registration record.
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5 .
