Voting is the language of our democracy and the most quintessential form of civic engagement. However, nearly 100 million eligible Americans did not cast a vote in the 2016 General Election, representing 43% of the eligible voting-age population. The reasons range from voter suppression to apathy.
Democracy isn't a spectator sport
Indiana dates & deadlines
- Voter registration
October 5th - Absentee ballot request (mail)
October 22 - Absentee ballot request (in-person)
November 2 - Absentee ballot return deadline
November 3 at 6pm - Absentee voting period (in-person)
October 6–November 2 at noon
As our namesake Rep. Lee Hamilton reminds us, "the challenge we face as a nation is to revitalize our democracy and its institutions. We need to strengthen representative democracy by restoring the effectiveness of government, rebuild Congress as a functional, co-equal branch of the federal government, and restore confidence in our institutions, public and private."
Voting is the first step.
The Hamilton Lugar School strongly encourages its students to engage in the political process and make their voices heard by voting in the 2020 General Election—whether in Bloomington or via absentee ballot.
Out-of-state voters
If you are not voting in Indiana, visit US Vote Foundation and input your home state to find state-specific deadlines. The US Vote Foundation is a non-partisan non-profit 501 voter assistance and civic tech organization that helps American citizens, domestically, overseas or in the military, participate in elections.
Race, Gender & Power in Global Affairs: Rima Shahid
Rima Shahid, Executive Director at Women4Change, discussed current Get Out the Vote efforts in the state of Indiana and opportunities for HLS and IU students. Conversation moderated by HLS senior Ariana Katz.
College students may only register at one of two places: the address where they live while attending school or the address where they live while not attending school.
Other essentials
Check your Indiana voter status
- Go to IndianaVoters.in.gov
- Find "Check Voting Status"
- Click "Check Your Registration Record"
- Input your name, birthdate, county
- Click “Continue”
- You will either see your status or be able to register to vote
- Follow the prompts on the site or call/email Monroe County Election Central for more help