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Indiana Democrats, GOP Send Out Unsolicited Absentee Ballot Applications

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(Lauren Chapman/IPB News)
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Hoosiers across the state are receiving unsolicited absentee ballot applications in the mail from the Indiana Democratic and Republican parties.

The political parties sending out absentee ballot applications isn’t new – it’s a common way for them to try to drive up voter turnout.

But it’s under a different spotlight this year because of the fierce debate over vote-by-mail. Democrats want it expanded to anyone who wants it – just like during the primary – because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans steadfastly refuse to allow that; they argue the 2020 general election should be a “normal” one.

County clerks around Indiana have received confused phone calls from voters about the applications. But they are legitimate – and, if you qualify for vote-by-mail, you can use the application to request your ballot.

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text "elections" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

However, unlike the applications distributed by county clerks, the ones sent out by political parties often don’t go directly to your local election administrator; they typically go through the Indiana Election Division first, meaning it will take more time to get to where it needs to go.

If you want to request a vote-by-mail ballot more quickly, you can do so online at IndianaVoters.com.

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

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