Voting in Indiana

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Voters can only vote absentee/by mail in Indiana with an approved excuse. Approved excuses include:
- 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 am until 6 pm)
- 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 that 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

Voters do not need an excuse to vote early/in-person absentee.

Indiana has open primaries. Any registered voter can participate in primary elections, regardless of political party. If you are affiliated with either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, you are entitled to vote for candidates of that party at the primary election. However, you must state which party you are affiliated with by asking the poll workers for the ballot of that party. You may only vote for candidates in the party whose ballot you select. If you are not affiliated with either of these two parties, you are still entitled to vote on a public question that is held on the same day as the primary without asking for a party ballot. 17-year-olds can vote in the primary election if they will be 18 by the corresponding general election, although they may have to vote a special ballot that does not include all of the same questions as the regular ballot.

Photo ID is required to vote in Indiana. Valid forms of ID must:
- Display your photo
- Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record. Conform does not mean identical.
- Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last General Election. NOTE: An ID issued by the US Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marine, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or Veterans Administration), or the Indiana National Guard is not required to have an expiration date, or may state that the document has an "Indefinite" expiration date.
- Be issued by the State of Indiana or the U.S. government

If you do not have an approved form of ID, you are entitled to receive a free Indiana State ID Card from the BMV. If you go to your polling place without an approved form of ID, you may cast a provisional ballot. Upon casting a provisional ballot, you have until noon 10 days after the election to follow up with the County Election Board and either provide photo ID or affirm one of the law's exemptions applies to you.

Exemptions do exist for the indigent, those with a religious objection to being photographed, and those living in state-licensed facilities that serve as their precinct's polling place.
- If you are wishing to claim an exemption from the photo ID requirement based on indigence or a religious objection, you may do so in one of two ways: 1, go the polls on Election Day, and cast a provisional ballot. Within 10 days of the election, visit the county election office and affirm that an exemption applies to you. Or, 2, vote absentee-in-person at the county election office before Election Day, and while there, affirm that an exemption applies to you.
- If you are a resident at a state-licensed facility that serves as your polling place, you may claim the exemption at the polls on Election Day.
- If you are a resident of a state-licensed facility that serves as a satellite absentee voting office, you may claim the exemption when voting absentee before election day.