INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers are considering shortening the early voting period from 28 days to 16 days under an amendment added to House Bill 1359. The last-minute change, made without public testimony, has divided election officials and sparked debate about voter access and election costs.
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The amendment's supporters argue it could save counties money and improve election integrity. Lisa Bruder, the Republican Boone County Clerk, supports the change.
"I would love to see it. It would, in my opinion, save taxpayer money. The first few days of early voting, we are very slow," Bruder said.
However, Kate Sweeney Bell, the Democratic Marion County Clerk, opposes the reduction and warns it could create logistical challenges.
"We will have to hire more poll workers, and we will have to have poll workers working longer hours in order to accommodate that shorter time frame," Sweeney Bell said.
The two clerks serve vastly different populations, which may explain their differing perspectives on the proposed change.
Mark Fraley, Association Director of Political Engagement at Indiana University, believes shortening the early voting window could impact voter turnout.
"If you shorten that time, I think you are probably going to see that the people who want to vote are going to have a hard time taking a couple of hours off of work," Fraley said.
Fraley noted that early voting historically brought out unlikely voters who typically supported Democrats in past election cycles. However, recent data shows this trend has shifted.
"The unlikely voters — the people that vote less in midterm elections but vote in presidential elections, for example, — tended to gravitate more towards Trump and the Republicans," Fraley said.
Democrats, particularly those from Indianapolis, oppose the change. Sweeney Bell views the amendment as a deliberate attempt to suppress voter participation.
"I don't see where the win is unless the intent is to dampen turnout," Sweeney Bell said.
Bruder maintains that 16 days provides sufficient time for early voting and suggests voter participation is more about personal priorities than access.
"If you don't vote here in Boone County at a vote center, it's more that you just didn't prioritize it, not that we don't want you to," Bruder said.
The bill passed out of committee with the amendment, but still faces several hurdles before reaching the governor's desk. It must pass the full Senate and return to the House for final approval.
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