Pfaff proposes amendment to allow no-excuse absentee balloting

INDIANAPOLIS – State Representative Tonya Pfaff (D-Terre Haute) today proposed an amendment to HB 1365, which would have allowed voters to cast an absentee ballot without an excuse. The amendment was voted down on the House floor. 

Pfaff’s amendment would have removed all qualifications for voting by absentee ballot, extending absentee voting to all Hoosiers.

“Yet again, my colleagues across the aisle have denied any reform to our antiquated voting laws,” Pfaff said. “These barriers within our voting system continue to make it more difficult for Hoosiers to perform their civic duty and use their voices when it matters most.

“Last June, Indiana showed that we could conduct an election with no-excuse absentee voting without any incidents of fraud. The change resulted in more people voting in the primary election.

“If we really consider ourselves representatives of the people, we need to show our constituents that their voices truly matter. We must allow for no-excuse absentee voting and other voting reforms. It is past time we bring our voting system into the 21st century.” 

The amendment was voted down 66-28.