The Indiana Secretary of State's office reports only 59% of registered voters in Marion County, the state's largest, cast a ballot in the 2020 presidential election. (Adobe Stock)
Voter apprehension is reaching record levels for this year's general election, with dueling poll results and debates only adding to the anxiety.
Polling by the Pew Research Center says less than a month before Election Day, voters have a mostly negative view of the 2024 presidential campaign.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana wants to ensure everyone who wants to vote should be able to do so - without fear or intimidation, regardless of their candidate of choice.
Executive Director Chris Daley said the best way to protect democracy is to participate.
"We need every Hoosier to get to the polls and cast their vote," said Daley. "We need folks to be talking to their families and friends, making sure they're getting to vote. And then if they have folks in their lives or in their neighborhoods who are going to have trouble getting to the polls, helping them get there."
Daley emphasized that people can have conversations about the importance of voting, without getting into a debate about the candidates.
The Indiana Secretary of State's Office shows Hamilton and Wells counties were tied, at 75% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2020 presidential election.
The lowest turnout, at 58%, was in Delaware and Madison counties.
Rumblings of voter intimidation are not new during closely watched presidential elections.
Deceptive texts, emails, and robocalls can spread false information to confuse or intimidate voters - or target communities of color with threats.
Daley said anyone who's seeing this type of activity can contact the ACLU.
"If folks do have problems, we encourage them to reach out to us and let us know about them," said Daley, "so that we can respond to them."
He explained that the best thing Hoosiers can do, even when election season is over, is to make sure the voting laws allow as many people as possible to vote safely.
He said he believes more work needs to be done to make that happen. Voters can reach out to the ACLU at aclu-in.org.
By Terri Dee, Anchor/Producer
Monday October 21, 2024
Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.