Voters who want a say in who will lead their cities and towns for the next four years have just two weeks to make sure they’re registered.
The voter registration deadline is Oct. 7. Voters have until midnight that day to register online, or until 4:30 p.m. to register in person. The fall election is Nov. 5, and eligible voters in most cities and towns throughout the county will have two weeks of early voting options starting Oct. 21.
This fall, voters will choose among Republican, Democrat and Independent candidates who they want to lead their cities and towns as mayors, clerk-treasurers or members of their city and town councils. The candidate pool was narrowed during the May primary election, when Republicans selected their top picks to advance to the upcoming general election.
Most voters in the county have decisions to make, except those who live in New Whiteland, which has no contested races, and some who live in unincorporated Johnson County.
However, in White River Township, voters who would not normally vote in a municipal election will be asked to head to the polls to decide whether to approve a Center Grove schools referendum, which would raise property taxes in the area by 11.5 cents for every $100 of assessed value, and would generate $24.8 million over the course of eight years starting in 2020. The goal of the referendum is to increase live monitoring of facilities, including a wall of footage at the Emergency Operations Center, set to open next September.
But in order to cast a ballot, you must be registered to vote. Even if you think you’re registered, it is always a good idea to check.
State law requires election workers clean up voter rolls, and voters who have not cast a ballot in two national elections are marked inactive. Johnson County has about 12,000 inactive voters, nearly quadruple what it was in June, said Reagan Higdon, first deputy clerk.
That cleanup is part of a statewide, years-long effort. After the primary election in May, local election workers conducted a significant voter roll clean up, and removed more than 9,000 Johnson County voters from the list.
People who have been removed from the voter rolls can vote again once they register. If they register by Oct. 7, they can vote in the next election.
Voters can register, check their registration status or update their information online by visiting www.indianavoters.in.gov. They can also download a voter registration form to mail in and view their ballot ahead of time.
Another option is to visit the local voter registration office in the basement of the Johnson County courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St.
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There are two ways voters can check their registration status:
Visit www.indianavoters.in.gov
Call Johnson County’s voter registration office at 317-346-4450 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.
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Voters, whether they vote early or on Election Day, will cast their vote at one of 20 vote centers scattered throughout the county.
Voter registration deadline: Oct. 7
Early voting: Oct. 21 to Nov. 4
Election Day: Nov. 5
What you need to register:
- Have a valid Indiana Driver’s License or Indiana State Identification Card
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be at least 18 years old on or before the next election (a 17-year-old may register and vote in the primary election if the voter turns 18 on or before the next general or municipal election)
- Have lived in your precinct for at least 30 days before the next general, municipal or special election
- Not currently imprisoned after being convicted of a crime
What to take with you to the polls:
- An Indiana State Identification Card; a driver’s license, military ID or student ID if it was issued by a state college or university and has an expiration date
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