STATEHOUSE (May 16, 2023) – State Rep. Tim Wesco's (R-Osceola) legislation to ensure the vote-by-mail process is as secure as voting in person is now 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 present any ID. Absentee ballots are then verified by county clerks who check whether the signature on the application matches the voter's signature on file. Wesco, chair of the House Elections and Apportionment Committee, 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. Voters can also submit a photocopy of their driver's license or an ID card for non-drivers.
"This new law helps protect Indiana's voting integrity by having voters who request an absentee ballot to submit two forms of identification when casting an absentee ballot," Wesco said. "This is an important step to maintain voter confidence in our election process."
Under the law, which takes effect July 1, local governments or political parties cannot distribute applications for absentee ballots in mass but can still provide them to individuals who request them.
Wesco said changes were not made to absentee eligibility requirements, which include voters with disabilities, are at least 65 years of age, is prevented from voting due to unreliability of transportation to the polls or fits the other requirements.
Representatives from Indiana Secretary of State's Office, St. Joseph County Clerk's Office, and Opportunity Solutions Project, which is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization, testified in support of the legislation.
To learn more about new state laws, visit in.gov/gov/newsroom/2023-bill-watch/.
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State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) represents House District 21,
which includes portions of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
Photo Caption: State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) in the House Chamber testifies in support of his legislation to help maintain election security Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, at the Statehouse. This session, he authored a new law to safeguard election integrity by making the vote-by-mail process as secure as voting in person.
