The first two voters of the 2022 election season check in Oct. 23 at the Johnson County courthouse during the opening of early voting.
Daily Journal File Photo
Johnson County voters have less than a month to submit their voter registration for the May 7 primary elections.
The deadline applies to unregistered voters, voters who want to transfer their registration and may also apply to residents who didn’t cast their ballots in the previous two federal elections.
The deadline to register online is April 8 at 11:59 p.m. Because the county government will be closed on April 8 due to the solar eclipse, the deadline to register in-person will be extended by one day, until the end of business on April 9.
Johnson County residents can also register in-person by visiting the county voter registration office at the Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, or any license branch. The Johnson County Courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m. April 9.
People can call the Johnson County voter registration office at 317-346-4466 or online at indianavoters.in.gov to check if they’re registered.
Voters should also be aware the deadline for absentee ballot applications is noon on April 25. Voters can apply online at indianavoters.in.gov or in-person at Johnson County Voter Registration.
To register, voters need to be at least 18 years old by Nov. 7. Voters need to be U.S. citizens, not currently be in prison after being convicted of a crime and live in the precinct they’re registering to vote in. Voters can provide proof of their residence with a valid Indiana driver’s license or state identification card. First-time Indiana voters may also need to provide a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document to prove their address, according to the Indiana County Voter Registration Application.
Everyone who is registered will be able to vote as federal, state and county seats are up for grabs. Contested Republican races include U.S. Representative District 6, State Senate District 37, Indiana Governor, Johnson County Coroner, County Commissioner District 3, County Council At-large, Prince’s Lakes Town Council At-Large.
Only one Democratic race is contested for the primary: Johnson County Council At-large.
Being a presidential election year, the turnout is expected to be higher than most election years. However, the turn-out may not be abnormally high as the race is already whittled down to current President Joseph R. Biden on the Democratic ballot and ex-President Donald J. Trump on the Republican ballot. Top opponents for both candidates dropped out following poor showings on Super Tuesday.
A packed race for Congress and county council may also drive local interest.
Compared to the last presidential election in 2020, Johnson County has about 14,000 more people registered to vote for the May primary. In the 2020 primary election, 105,781 people were registered to vote. As of March 7, 119,276 people are registered to vote, voter registration data shows.
HOW TO REGISTER
Here’s how to register to vote in the primary election. Those who were already registered are encouraged to check their registrations.
Online: You can register and check your registration at indianavoters.in.gov.
In-person: Visit the county voter registration office at the Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, or any license branch.
Mail: Address envelopes, including the registration form, available at the courthouse or on indianavoters.in.gov, and copies of any necessary documentation, to Johnson County Voter Registration Office, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, IN 461431.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. April 8 for online applications. Paper applications must be received by voter registration by 4:30 p.m. April 9.
