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State Hasn't Yet Created Online Vote-By-Mail Application Process

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Monday was supposed to be the voter registration deadline for Indiana’s primary election. But COVID-19 changed all that.

The governor and the state election commission officially moved Indiana’s primary back to June 2. With that shift came changes in deadlines: for instance, Hoosiers now have until Monday, May 4 to register to vote, which they can do online.

The biggest change was opening up vote-by-mail to any Hoosier who wants to cast a ballot that way. But voters still have to request those ballots, which they can only do by mail. The applications are available online, but must be mailed to the voters’ county election administrator – though some counties allow a fax or email option.

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When it moved the primary, the election commission recommended the state set up an online vote-by-mail application that wouldn’t require anything to be mailed in. The Secretary of State’s office says that system is still in development, with no estimated date for completion.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said applications must be mailed to the voters’ county election administrator. That was incorrect. Some counties allow a fax or email option.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Indiana State Department of Health for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.