(Terre Haute) Tribune-Star
Voter turnout has reached new lows in Indiana, with the state ranking last among the 50 for its poor performance in the 2022 midterm elections.
That dismal ranking comes courtesy of the 2023 Indiana Civic Health Index, a survey produced every two years by the Indiana Bar Association and Indiana Civics Coalition.
The survey was released as Hoosier lawmakers gathered for the 2024 short session of the Indiana General Assembly. If they noticed, they didn’t let on. In fact, legislators did what they’ve been doing in recent sessions — pushing new proposals to make the voting process even harder to navigate.
A House bill passed out of a committee on a party-line vote late last month that would essentially make it more difficult for first-time voters to register to vote. The bill, introduced and advanced by the Republican super majority, is clunky and convoluted. Provisions in the bill would create confusion for those seeking to register in person at a voter registration office or county clerk’s office.
While it purports to be a measure that improves “election security,” don’t let that claim fool you. It is another page in the GOP playbook aimed at suppressing the vote and discouraging young people and naturalized citizens, who tend to vote Democratic, from participating in the process.
House Bill 1264, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, would require people who haven’t previously voted in an Indiana general election to present photo identification and address-verifying mail if they register to vote in person to establish residency. That doesn’t apply if the prospective voter submitted a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number along with their voter application, and election officials successfully matched it with the information to state records.
The legislation also sets out a process for county election officials to follow if applicants don’t comply with the new proof of residence requirement.
As with previous laws created by the Republican super majority, these provisions address problems that don’t actually exist while adding layers of confusion to the registration process. Keep in mind that Indiana voters are already required to show a photo ID at the polls before casting a vote.
It’s telling that the state association representing county officials who administer elections — the Indiana County Clerks Association — remains neutral on this bill. If county clerks can’t endorse a proposal, then it’s probably not necessary.
Indiana’s election process is secure, as are elections in every other state. Election fraud is rare. We should be thankful for that.
Given Hoosiers’ chronically poor turnout at the polls, the General Assembly would be wise to explore more constructive measures that encourage voting and make the process easier rather than pushing so-called “election security” bills that make voting more difficult.
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