Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana, Public Question, Property Tax Measure (May 2023)

Indianapolis Public Schools Public Question
Election date May 2, 2023
Topic Local property tax and Local school tax
Status Approved
Type Referral

Indianapolis Public Schools Public Question was on the ballot as a referral in Indianapolis Public Schools on May 2, 2023. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported levying a property tax at a rate of $66.10 per $100,000 of assessed value, generating an estimated $410 million over 30 years, for the purposes of constructing a new elementary school and for additions and renovations to multiple schools.

A "no" vote opposed levying a property tax at a rate of $66.10 per $100,000 of assessed value, generating an estimated $410 million over 30 years, for the purposes of constructing a new elementary school and for additions and renovations to multiple schools.

A simple majority requirement was needed to pass the measure.

Election results

Indianapolis Public Schools Public Question
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		14,834	59.17%
No		10,236	40.83%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Public Question was as follows:

“

Shall Indianapolis Public Schools increase property taxes paid to the school corporation by homeowners and businesses? If this public question is approved by the voters, the average property tax paid to the school corporation per year on a residence would increase by 20.4% and the average property tax paid to the school corporation per year on a business property would increase by 14.9%. The political subdivision may issue bonds or enter into leases to finance construction projects, which include the construction of one new elementary school; construction of additions and renovations to multiple schools for classroom instruction and extracurricular activities; maintenance, athletics, and site improvements throughout the School Corporation; and the procurement of equipment and technology, which is estimated to cost $410,000,000 over thirty (30) years. The most recent property tax referendum within the boundaries of the political subdivision for which this public question is being considered was proposed by Indianapolis Public Schools in 2018 and passed.

”

Path to the ballot

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Indianapolis Public Schools Board of School Commissioners.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Indiana

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Indiana.

How to vote in Indiana

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

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.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2023
• Local property tax on the ballot

Indiana

• Indiana 2023 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Indiana
• Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas