Published: June 28, 2008 08:55 pm            

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Indiana’s election system needs dose of reform

Six-step plan could boost voter turnout

TERRE HAUTE — In the weeks following last month’s scintillating primary election, Hoosiers had the opportunity to reflect on Indiana’s election process. A number of astute and insightful observations were available for consideration, including one in particular from the editorial board of Indianapolis Star.

A Star editorial opined that in order to improve voter turnout, Indiana needs to reform its election system.

“Voter participation in Tuesday’s primary, while strong, didn’t meet expectations of a record-setting turnout, “ the Star editorial stated. “About 39 percent of the state’s registered voters completed a ballot. That’s the best turnout for a primary in 20 years but still below the 42 percent who voted in May 1988.”

Indeed, the turnout, while improved, was disappointing considering the intensity of the Democratic presidential primary and the national interest and attention it drew.

Various ballot factors contributed to the turnout, including lack of Republican presidential or gubernatorial races. “But,” as the Star editorial correctly states, “Indiana also raises unnecessary obstacles to voting that should be removed.”

The Star editorial offers four steps to improve voter participation:

n Extend voting hours by an hour or more. Indiana closes its polls at 6 p.m. That’s too early.

n Expand use of voting centers to allow voters to complete ballots at central locations rather than a specific precinct. This has been tested in two counties with good results. The Legislature should extend the concept to all 92 counties.

n Allow excuse-free absentee balloting. Restriction now apply. But any voter should be able to cast an absentee vote in advance for any reason.

n End gerrymandering. The Star explains: “Voters have shown they will participate when elections are competitive. However, for many congressional and legislative seats, district maps are drawn in such a way as to ensure control by one party or the other. Taking the map-drawing responsibilities out of the hands of partisans in the General Assembly and turning the job over to a bipartisan commission … would promote competitive races and drive up voter turnout.”

Four excellent ideas. But the Star’s editorial does not go far enough.

A truly public-spirited reform effort would include the following:

n Move the voter registration deadline closer to election day. Currently, the deadline is a month prior to the election. That is unacceptable. The deadline should be no more than three days before the election, preferably less.

n Rescind Indiana’s voter ID requirement, the most strict of its kind in the nation. It does nothing to combat voter fraud (which was never shown to be a problem in Indiana anyway), and is clearly a political maneuver aimed at making voting more difficult for certain types of voters, such as the elderly or lower-income individuals.

The voting process should be a friendly exercise that encourages participation. Adopting these suggestions would move Indiana closer to that ideal.

        

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