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Democratic Party primaries in Indiana, 2018

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Democratic Party primaries, 2018
Indiana Democratic Party.png
Primary Date
May 8, 2018
Federal elections
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
Democratic primaries for U.S. House
State elections
Democratic primaries for Indiana legislature
Democratic primary for secretary of state
State party
Democratic Party of Indiana
State political party revenue

Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.

Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]

Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]

Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Indiana on May 8, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Indiana (May 8, 2018 Democratic primary)
Incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly, the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Indiana, raised $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2017. This was more than any other Indiana senatorial candidate, Democrat or Republican.[8][9] Given Donnelly's success in an underdog campaign in 2012, where he won by 6 points, and early support from the party, he was not expected to face a competitive Democratic primary. To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primary, click "Show more" below.
Show more
Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Indiana (May 8, 2018 Democratic primaries)

The 2018 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Indiana took place on November 6, 2018. Voters elected 9 candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's 9 congressional districts. In 2017, the DCCC identified Indiana's 2nd and 9th Congressional Districts as targeted races. To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 2

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 3

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 4

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 5

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 6

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 7

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 8

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 9

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

State elections

Indiana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas  •  Seventeen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Secretary of state election

See also: Indiana Secretary of State election, 2018 (May 8 Democratic primary)

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Indiana
Indiana Democratic Party.png


State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Indiana's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.

Democratic Party of Indiana revenue, 2011 to 2016[10][11]
Year Federal account State account(s) Total
2011 $899,860.65 $665,280.07 $1,565,140.72
2012 $4,411,569.13 $950,017.25 $5,361,586.38
2013 $607,793.92 $617,211.55 $1,225,005.47
2014 $664,661.76 $579,928.84 $1,244,590.60
2015 $695,583.21 $607,698.01 $1,303,281.22
2016 $8,348,997.55 $3,425,815.66 $11,774,813.21

Indiana compared to other states

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:

Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016

Primary election scheduling

Indiana was one of four states to hold a primary election on May 8, 2018.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Indiana law requires a closed primary, where a voter must be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary. This includes if they voted for a majority of that party’s candidates in the last general election or plan to in the upcoming election. However, it is possible for any voter to vote in any party's primary so long as they meet this criteria.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Indiana, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time on the date of an election. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[12]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Indiana, an individual must be a U.S. citizen who has resided in the precinct in which the individual will be voting for at least 30 days preceding the next election. The individual must be at least 18 years old by the time of the next general or municipal election. Proof of residence is required to register.[13] Registration can be completed online, by mail, or in person.[14] The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before the next election.[15]

Prospective voters can register in person at the following locations:

“
1) a Bureau of Motor Vehicles (“BMV”) license branch while applying for or renewing a driver’s license, permit, or identification card;
2) a public assistance office while applying for services;
3) certain agencies serving persons with disabilities while applying for assistance;
4) armed forces recruitment agencies;
5) county voter registration offices and the Indiana Election Division; and
6) unemployment compensation offices while applying for services. (IC 3-7-14; IC 3-7-15; IC 3-7-16; IC 3-7-19; IC 3-7-18-2; IC 3-7-20.5-1; IC 3-7-20.5-3; IC 3-7-20.5)[15][16]
 ”

Automatic registration

Indiana does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Indiana has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Indiana does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Indiana law requires 30 days of residency in a precinct before a person may vote.[13]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Indiana does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

Indiana does require voters whose citizenship status cannot be confirmed to submit proof of citizenship under Ind. Code § 3-7-33-4.7 and § 3-7-38.2-7.3.[17][18]

“ "(b) The NVRA official shall compare the statewide voter registration system with the bureau of motor vehicles list of temporary credentials issued under IC 9-24-11-5(c) or IC 9-24-16-3(f). If evidence exists that a registered voter is not a citizen of the United States, the NVRA official shall notify the county voter registration office of the county in which the individual is registered to vote that the registered voter may not be a citizen of the United States.

(c) After receiving a notice under subsection (b), the county voter registration office shall send a notice to the registered voter inquiring whether the individual is eligible to be registered to vote. An individual who receives a notice under this subsection shall, within thirty (30) days of receiving the notice, provide proof of citizenship to the county voter registration office in person or by mail.

(d) If the individual does not provide proof of citizenship within thirty (30) days of receipt of the notice under subsection (c), the county voter registration office that issued the notice shall cancel the individual's registration."[17][16]

”

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[19] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Indiana Secretary of State website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Indiana requires voters to present photo identification at the polls. The following criteria for accepted photo ID was current as of April 2025.[20][21]

Under Indiana Code 3-5-2-40.5, a voter's photo ID must meet the following four criteria:[20]

  1. Must show the name of the voter, conforming to the voter's registration record.
  2. Must include a photograph of the voter.
  3. Must include an expiration date later than the date of the last general election.[22]
  4. Must be issued by the state of Indiana or the U.S. government.

A voter can obtain a free Indiana identification card from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.[23]

As of July 1, 2025, an ID issued by an education institution may not be used as voter identification.[21]

Voters who are "indigent, those with a religious objection to being photographed, and those living in state-licensed facilities that serve as their precinct's polling place" can claim an exemption from the voter identification law. If the voter is claiming an exemption based on indigence or a religious objection, the voter can cast a provisional ballot on Election Day and visit the county election office within 10 days to claim the exemption. A voter who is a resident of a state-licensed facility can claim the exemption at the polls on Election Day.[20]

Early voting

Indiana permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website. Indiana refers to early voting as voting absentee-in-person.[24]

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

An individual is eligible to vote absentee by mail in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on the day of an election for one of the following reasons:[24]

  1. The voter has "a specific, reasonable expectation" that he or she will be absent from his or her home county on Election Day during the entire voting period.
  2. The voter is disabled.
  3. The voter is 65 years of age or older.
  4. The voter will be responsible for official election duties outside of his or her voting precinct.
  5. The voter is scheduled to work during the entire voting period.
  6. The voter will "be confined due to illness or injury" or "will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury" during the entire voting period.
  7. The voter is prevented from voting during the regular voting period due to religious reasons.
  8. The voter is a participant in the state's address confidentiality program.
  9. The voter is a military service member or public safety officer.
  10. The voter is a "serious sex offender" as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a).
  11. The voter is prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.

A request to vote absentee must be received by the appropriate official at least eight days prior to the election. The ballot must then be returned by close of polls on Election Day.[24]


See also

Federal primaries in Indiana State primaries in Indiana Indiana state party apparatus Indiana voter information
CongressLogo.png
Flag of Indiana.png
Seal of Indiana.png
Election Policy Logo.png

Footnotes

  1. ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
  2. ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
  3. ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
  4. ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
  5. ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
  6. ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
  7. ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
  8. ↑ Politico, "The loneliest job in politics," October 13, 2017
  9. ↑ IndyPolitics, "Congressional Cash," October 13, 2017
  10. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State—Indiana Election Division, "Campaign Finance Home," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Indiana Republican State Committee and Indiana Democratic State Central Committee)
  11. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Indiana Republican State Committee, Inc. and Indiana Democratic Congressional Victory Committee)
  12. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2024 Indiana Election Calendar", accessed August 1, 2024
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Indiana Election Division, "Indiana Voter Registration Application," accessed August 1, 2024
  14. ↑ Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed August 1, 2024
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Secretary of State, "2023 Indiana Voter Registration Guidebook," accessed July 31, 2024
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Justia, "IN Code § 3-7-38.2-7.3 (2024)," accessed June 24, 2025
  18. ↑ Justia, "IN Code § 3-7-33-4.7 (2024)," accessed June 24, 2025
  19. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Indiana Secretary of State, "Photo ID Law," accessed April 30, 2025
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Indiana General Assembly, "2025 Session, Senate Bill 10," accessed April 30, 2025
  22. ↑ Note: Exceptions include certain military or Native American Indian tribe identification documents.
  23. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Obtaining a Photo ID," accessed October 3, 2019
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Indiana Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting," accessed August 1, 2024
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Party primaries by state, 2018
Republican primaries, 2018
Democratic primaries, 2018
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