The ACLU of Indiana has recently raised concerns regarding the lack of no-excuse absentee voting in Indiana for the November elections. In addition to signing onto a letter with partners sent to Governor Holcomb, Secretary of State Lawson, and the Indiana Election Commission on July 28, the ACLU has been encouraging supporters to contact election officials about the need for mail-in voting options amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Statement from Katie Blair, advocacy and public policy director at the ACLU of Indiana:
“Despite receiving more than 10,000 messages from concerned Hoosiers about the need for mail-in voting, election officials have failed to enact no-excuse absentee voting for the November 3rd election. We are less than three months away from the election, and still Indiana is one of only seven states to not take this step to keep voters safe amid the current pandemic.
"Every elected official should advocate for every voice to be heard at the ballot box, but instead the right to vote has become a partisan pawn. To be legitimate, a democracy must take every possible step to ensure that citizens have the ability to exercise their right to vote, safely and freely. Governor Holcomb must heed the voices of thousands of Hoosiers and act now to enact no-excuse absentee voting. Despite Indiana Election Commission Chairman Okeson’s statement that Hoosiers will ‘have to make a choice,’ we must ensure no voter has to choose between their right to vote and their health.”
