Indiana state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

Elections in Indiana, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
• Early voting: Oct. 10 - Nov. 5
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Photo ID required
• Poll times: 6:00 am to 6:00 pm local time

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2018 Indiana State Legislature elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	May 8, 2018

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The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Indiana State Senate and the Indiana House of Representatives were on May 8, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Indiana, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was February 9, 2018. In the state Senate, 25 of 50 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 100 seats were up for election.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of December 2017, Indiana was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring state House incumbents

Five Democratic state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

• Linda Lawson (District 1)
• Charlie Brown (District 3)
• Scott Pelath (District 9)
• Clyde Kersey (District 43)
• Steven Stemler (District 71)

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Indiana state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

There were 14 open seats in 2018, which was lower than the 18 open seats in 2016 and higher than the eight open seats in 2014. The 20 contested Democratic primaries was up from 14 in 2016 and 2 in 2014. The 26 contested Republican primaries was down from 28 in 2016 and up from 23 in 2014. The 267 total candidates running was up from 242 in 2016 and 217 in 2014.

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Indiana House of Representatives and the Indiana State Senate as of July 2018:

Indiana House of Representatives

Party		As of July 2018
	Democratic Party	30
	Republican Party	70
	Vacancies	0
Total		100

Indiana State Senate

Party		As of July 2018
	Democratic Party	9
	Republican Party	41
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

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. In Idaho, parties decide who may vote in their primaries. As of July 2025, the Democratic Party allows unaffiliated voters to vote in its primary, while the Republican Party only allows voters registered with its party to vote in its primary. Unaffiliated voters can choose to affiliate with a party on Election Day.

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.

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. Registration can be completed online, by mail, or in person. The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before the next election.

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)

”

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.

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.

“

"(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."

”

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. 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.

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

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.
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.

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

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.

Early voting

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

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:

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.

See also

• Indiana state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2018
• Indiana State Senate elections, 2018
• Indiana State Legislature
• Indiana elections, 2018