Voting rules for this state, checked October 12, 2026; your state election office is the final word.

Voting in Indiana

General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

At a glance

Online, by mail or in person

You must register before the deadline below.

ID at the polls

Photo ID required

Without a government-issued photo ID, vote a provisional ballot and follow up with the county election board by noon 10 days after the election. No ID? Ask your election office whether it offers a free one for voting. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.

Mail voting

Mail voting needs a reason

Excuses: age 65+, absent from county, disability/illness, work shift during all voting hours, election/poll worker, religious belief, caregiver, no transportation, ACP participant, military/public safety officer Return deadline: received by 6 p.m. Nov 3 (Election Day).

Early in-person voting

Yes

Oct 6 - noon Nov 2 (in-person absentee, open to all voters without excuse)

After a conviction

Voting rights return when you leave prison

Only people in prison lose the vote; restored automatically on release.

Deadlines

Step	Date	Notes
Register online	Monday, October 5
Register by mail	Monday, October 5
Register in person	Monday, October 5
Election Day	Tuesday, November 3	Polls close times vary; check your state.

Mail ballot request: received by 11:59 p.m. Oct 22 (12 days before). Mail ballot return: received by 6 p.m. Nov 3 (Election Day).

Where the road gets harder

Every rule is a cost, and it doesn't fall on everyone the same. A deadline, a document or a trip to an office is easy for some people and a real obstacle for others: people who work hourly jobs, move often, live far from an office, don't drive, or have a disability. Here is what that looks like in Indiana.

Registration closes before Election Day (in person: Monday, October 5). Miss it and you can't vote in this election. If you've moved, your registration may need updating by then too.
Registration isn't automatic. Each person has to sign up on their own, which leaves out people who don't know the rules or move often.
Without an accepted ID, your ballot is provisional. It only counts if you make a second trip to an election office with ID, within a few days and during office hours.
You need an accepted reason to vote by mail. Excuses: age 65+, absent from county, disability/illness, work shift during all voting hours, election/poll worker, religious belief, caregiver, no transportation, ACP participant, military/public safety officer. Everyone else votes in person.
Mail ballots have to arrive by Election Day; a postmark isn't enough. A ballot mailed in the last days can arrive too late and won't count, so return it in person if it's close.
Indiana polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. by state law, one of the earliest poll closing times in the nation.Source: WFYI (Indianapolis public media)

News from Indiana

Recent election, voting and policy headlines that mention Indiana, newest first. They are found automatically and not checked: a headline shows what someone published, not that it is true.

News appears here once the news feed is connected.

All news, and travel back in time

Official links

Indiana Election Division. These go straight to the government, not to us.

Sources

Checked October 12, 2026. Laws and court rulings change, sometimes close to an election. If anything here disagrees with your state or county election office, they are right and we are wrong; please tell us.