Know Your Voting Deadlines
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
The upcoming 2026 midterm elections in the United States are among the most highly anticipated in years. For the past 30 years, a president’s negative approval ratings have consistently predicted the party to lose ground in the House, according to data from the Brookings Institute. And as ICE abductions, widespread fraud, misinformation and Epstein files side-stepping continue to flow from the Trump administration, your vote is crucial in the midterm elections. At a time when voter turnout is key, our state lawmakers in Indiana are quietly proposing to cut your early voting time in half without public input.
Primary elections are just a couple of months away, and midterms are in nine months. It’s important to prepare now by reviewing this year's voter deadlines so you know when and how to cast your vote. Many voting laws proposed by Republicans are simply means for voter suppression. Be sure your vote gets counted by noting the dates below and confirming any changes at the Indiana Voter Portal.
2026 Voting Deadlines for Indiana
April 6, 2026
Voter registration deadline to vote in the primaries. The deadline is by the close of business at your local registration office or by midnight for online applications.
Visit the Indiana Voter Portal to register to vote or to check your status.
Up for election this year: All nine U.S. House of Representatives seats, all 100 Indiana House seats and half of the Indiana Senate seats.
Learn about Indiana primary candidates now.
April 7, 2026*
Early voting begins for the primary race in Indiana.
*NOTE: Be sure to confirm this date, as House Bill 1359 proposes cutting early voting from 28 days to 16. This new law would delay the start of early voting to April 19, 2026.
Bring a photo ID. To vote in Indiana, you must present a government-issued photo ID to verify your identity.
April 23, 2026
Deadline to apply for an absentee ballot. (By midnight 12 days before an election)
Learn the requirements to vote by absentee ballot.
May 5, 2026 - Primary election day
Be sure to bring a government-issued photo ID to vote.
Absentee ballots are due by 6 p.m.
May 19, 2026
Voter registration resumes for the general election in November.
October 5, 2026
Deadline to register to vote in the 2026 general election. This deadline is the same if you’re voting in person, by mail or online.
October 6, 2026*
Early voting begins for the general election.
*NOTE: Be sure to confirm this date, as HB 1359 proposes reducing early voting by 12 days. If passed, the new law would push back the start of early voting to October 18.
October 22, 2026
Absentee ballot requests due by midnight.
November 3, 2026 - General Election Day.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Be sure to bring a government-issued photo ID to vote.
Absentee ballots are due by 6 p.m.
Plan now to vote later. Talk about the voter deadlines with your friends and neighbors and make plans to vote together. Offer your elderly or homebound neighbors a ride to the polls. Want to stay on track with voting deadlines? You can sign up to receive voting reminders at vote.org.
Additional resources on voting in Indiana:
Photo by Phil Scroggs on Unsplash
