INDIANAPOLIS —Election Day is about a month away. At the top of the ballot here in Indiana is a U.S. Senate Race.
Election experts still expect voter turn out to be about 20 percent lower than it is during presidential election years. In Indiana voter turnout is much lower than in other parts of the country.
"In a state without competitive elections people get bored in a lot of ways,” Aaron Dusso a political science professor at IUPUI said. “Again, this is at the top of the ballot there are competitive elections down ballot but those aren't what people focus on."
Experts say that during a presidential election years voter turnout is about 60 percent. During a non-presidential election year turnout is around 40 percent.
Rajiv Vinnakota is the President of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars which focuses on civic learning and education. He says many Americans are disillusioned with politics in general.
" We know that most people don’t understand how our government functions,” Vinnakota said. “Our voting levels are usually 50 percent or lower. There is a lot of loss of trust and loss of hope in democracy right now. “
While some people may feel that way people we talked to say they believe local elections are more important than ever.
"It's really important in general. Local elections are just as if not more important than country-wide elections. " Lyndsi Wood a Marion County resident said.
"I think it just feels more urgent every time we do it. I mean I've voted every election I've been eligible to since I was 18 and it hasn’t always gone the same way politically,” Rob Funkhouser a Marion County resident said. “There's a lot of big changes happening and I'm not really quite sure how to feel about those. "
Local elections being more important than ever is something experts agree with. Especially as more down-ballot elections like those for school boards or city councils are becoming more competitive.
"It's a situation where you have an increase in not only different kinds of people running in those races, but you have all kinds of money put into those races,” Dusso said. “In down-ballot races like that it doesn't take that much money relatively to have an effect. “
Getting accurate information about elections, especially for those that are further down on the ballot can be challenging which is why experts say you have to be dedicated to performing your civic duty.
As of last Friday, Marion County had 8, 364 new registrations and 19,746 updated registrations.
The Marion County Board of Voter Registration says they don't track the age, gender, or race of those registering.
-
'It means that I can go to work': Local single mom gets free car
A single mom who’s been without a car for months got a new set of wheels Wednesday, and it didn't cost her a dime thanks to an auto-repair company with local ties.
South Madison Fire Territory expansion canceled due to new property tax law
Eight local governing bodies had previously agreed to expand the South Madison Fire Protection Territory, but now, that plan has to be scrapped.
Neighbors seek changes to the intersection of 16th and Delaware Street
Neighbors and community leaders on Indy’s Old North Side are calling for additional safety measures for what they say has long been a dangerous intersection.
AI data processing center could rise in Hancock County
Cloud computer technology, including artificial intelligence, needs data centers to function. A developer hopes to convert more than 700 acres of Hancock County farmland into an AI data campus.
