Hamilton: “Extend voting hours to help working Hoosiers”

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Republicans today rejected yet another common sense election reform offered by State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) that attempted to provide longer polling hours for Hoosier voters.

Hamilton proposed a plan to keep polls open until 7:30 p.m. on Primary and Election Days, only to have House Republicans refuse to allow debate and a vote on the proposal. The amendment was offered to House Bill 1311.

“Since we make it unduly difficult for people to vote, Indiana consistently ranks at the bottom for turnout,” Hamilton said.

“Indiana polls are currently open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” she noted. “Most Hoosiers are working during those hours, a majority of Americans live in states with longer voting hours, which makes it easier for working class voters to make it to the polls.

“This would be an easy way to achieve higher voter participation, and I’m disappointed in the resistance to this common sense reform,” Hamilton said.

Today’s vote marks the second time this session that House Republicans have turned out in force to reject a Hamilton proposal to reform our state’s archaic election system. In January, they turned down her plan to make it easier for all Hoosiers to vote by absentee ballot.

“There will be more opportunities to improve the system, and I intend to keep working at it until we get the kinds of reforms Hoosiers want and deserve,” Hamilton concluded.