Early voting still open for Indiana primary

Now that the deadline for voting registration has come and gone, the time for absentee voting is already underway.

All registered voters in Indiana are eligible to vote absentee in-person at the county election board office starting 28 days before Election Day. So early polling is still open for Indiana residents until noon on May 2.

You don't need a reason to vote early. All you have to do is show up with a valid, government-issued photo ID and cast your ballot.

Almost 30 counties in Indiana have now adopted the vote center model. Many of these counties have alternative early voting locations. Hoosiers who live in a vote center county should check with their county clerk for additional early voting options.

Indiana is also an open primary, meaning that as long as you’re registered to vote, you can vote on any party’s ballot on primary day.

The state is expected to have 92 Democratic delegates for 2016 for the presidential election. Of these, 83 are pledged and allocated proportionally. Candidates get a share of pledged delegates if they get at least 15 percent of the vote.

Republicans are expected to have 57 delegates from Indiana. Out of these, 27 are pledged district-level, allocated on a winner-takes-all basis. Another 27 are at-large delegates, also allocated on a winner-takes-all basis based on the statewide vote. There are also three national party leaders who are bound.

Before going to the polls, you can visit www.indianavoters.com or use the Indiana Voters app on your smartphone to look up where you can vote and which candidates will be on your ballot.

If you plan on voting absentee but can't make it to the office over the next month, you can vote by mail before April 25. However, there are some stipulations to voting by mail.

One of the following conditions must apply to you, according to the state:

• You have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 a.m. until 6 p.m.).
• You have a disability.
• You are at least 65 years of age.
• You will have official election duties outside of your voting precinct.
• You are scheduled to work at your regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
• You will be confined due to illness or injury, or you will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours the polls are open.
• You are prevented from voting because of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
• You are a participant in the state's address confidentiality program.
• You are a member of the military or a public safety officer.
• You are a "serious sex offender" as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a).
• You are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.

Sophomore education major Riley Hunt said this will be his first time voting absentee in-person, but he doesn't have a choice because of the large number of finals he has on May 3.

"Last year I voted by mail, but I really want to actually be there to vote for this one," Hunt said. "It sucks that we have finals that we can't get out of on voting day, but if it's as easy as walking in and casting my ballot when I want, I'm all in."

Voter registration is now closed for the May 3 primary, but you can still register for the Nov. 8 general election at IndianaVoters.com or by using the Indiana Voters app.

APPLICATIONS:

Click here to download the in-person absentee ballot application

Click here to download the mail absentee ballot application

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