Indiana requires an excuse to vote absentee/by mail. However, it has ample early in-person voting throughout the month of October. This will likely be many Hoosiers' first plan when deciding how to vote.
To avoid possible postal delays impacting your vote, we recommend mailing your completed ballot back by Tuesday, October 13th. Plan to drop it off by hand after that.
If you are concerned about your absentee ballot returning on time through the mail, visit our other page to learn how to drop your ballot off in person.
Registering In Person: October 19, 2020
Registering By Mail: Postmarked October 19, 2020
Registering Online: October 19, 2020
Request In Person: Received October 22, 2020
Request By Mail: Received October 22, 2020
Request Online: Received October 22, 2020
County election officials must receive an absentee-by-mail ballot not later than noon (local prevailing time) on Election Day, November 3, 2020.
We strongly recommend mailing your ballot much earlier (by October 13th) and, if that's not possible, dropping it off in person. Learn how below or on our other page.
Yes. You need to qualify under one of the following reasons:
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.
No.
To your county's Board of Elections by 12pm on Election Day.
Unfortunately, Indiana does not have a central list of locations for counties' Boards of Elections. You will have to Google the information for your specific county.
Only the voter, the voter’s attorney-in-fact, a bonded courier, or a member of the voter’s immediate household may hand-deliver a completed absentee ballot to the county election board. Any person other than the voter doing so is to complete the ABS-19 affidavit.
October 6, 2020 and ends, noon (local prevailing time), November 2, 2020
Every county must also have in-person absentee available Saturday, October 24, 2020, and Saturday, October 31, 2020, for at least seven (7) hours unless the county’s population is less than 20,000, and then the site can be open for a minimum of four (4) hours.
Strict Photo ID
If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within 6 days to show an ID or sign an affidavit swearing to indigence or a religious objection.
All voters must show photo ID. The ID must:
Display your photo
Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record
Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last general election (November 6, 2018)
Be issued by the Indiana or the U.S. government
A student ID from an Indiana state college or university may only be used if it meets all four criteria specified above. A student ID from a private college or university may not be used for voting purposes, but public institution IDs can be used.
Exemptions are available for indigent people, people with a religious objection to being photographed, people living in a state-licensed facility that is also their polling place, and people who vote absentee by mail.
No.
6am - 6pm
If you are in line when polls close, you are legally entitled to vote. Don't leave!
Strict Photo ID
If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within 6 days to show an ID or sign an affidavit swearing to indigence or a religious objection.
All voters must show photo ID. The ID must:
Display your photo
Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record
Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after the date of the last general election (November 6, 2018)
Be issued by the Indiana or the U.S. government
A student ID from an Indiana state college or university may only be used if it meets all four criteria specified above. A student ID from a private college or university may not be used for voting purposes, but public institution IDs can be used.
Exemptions are available for indigent people, people with a religious objection to being photographed, people living in a state-licensed facility that is also their polling place, and people who vote absentee by mail.