Indiana bill increasing requirements for absentee voting signed into law

INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) - A bill to increase the requirements for absentee voting in Indiana has been signed into law.

Currently, Hoosiers who vote in-person are required to show photo identification, while those who apply for an absentee by mail ballot don’t have to. Absentee ballots are then verified by county clerks who check whether the signature on the application matches the voter’s signature on file.

State Rep. Tim Wesco’s (R-Osceola), who authored House Bill 1334, said the new law simply aligns the requirements by having voters include a form of ID — like the last four digits of their social security number and either a driver’s license number, state ID number, or voter registration number — when submitting an absentee ballot application.

The new law takes effect July 1.

Under the new law, local governments or political parties cannot distribute applications for absentee ballots in mass, but they can still provide them to individuals who request them.

Wesco also said changes were not made to absentee eligibility requirements, which include voters with disabilities, are at least 65 years of age, are prevented from voting due to unreliability of transportation to the polls or fits the other requirements.

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