INDIANA — In a move that has ignited sharp criticism from voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers, the Indiana Senate Elections Committee voted 7-2 on Monday to drastically reduce the state’s early-voting period.
The amendment, introduced by Committee Chair Sen. Mike Gaskill (R-Pendleton), would shorten the window for in-person absentee voting from 28 days to just 16 days. The provision was attached to House Bill 1359, a measure originally designed to streamline the scanning of ballots in counties using optical-scanning equipment.
Sen. Gaskill defended the reduction as a “process improvement” intended to save taxpayer money and alleviate the administrative burden on overworked county clerks. He argued that the change would bring Indiana in line with neighboring states that typically offer a two-week window.
“It’s Election Day, not Election Month,” Gaskill told the committee, echoing a sentiment shared by several Republican colleagues who view the current four-week window as excessive.
Gaskill noted that while the bill’s author, Rep. Timothy Wesco (R-Osceola), was not present at the hearing, he had given his blessing to the new language.
The amendment faced immediate pushback from Sens. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis) and Faddy Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis), who were joined in their opposition by Republican Sen. Greg Walker (R-Columbus).
Opponents pointed to historical data to illustrate the potential for mass disenfranchisement:
- 2024 Election: Approximately 309,000 Hoosiers (22% of early voters) cast their ballots during the two-week period that this amendment would eliminate.
- 2022 Election: Roughly 90,000 voters utilized the first two weeks of the early-voting window.
“This is going to take away from working-class folks who need that time because they might have an inflexible work schedule or caregiving responsibilities,” Sen. Ford warned, adding that shorter windows would inevitably lead to longer lines on Election Day.
This is not the first attempt by the legislature to shrink the voting calendar. In 2025, a similar bill proposed cutting early voting to just seven days before being amended to 14. That measure eventually stalled, but Gaskill’s latest amendment revives the effort with less than two weeks left in the current legislative session.
| Current Law (28 Days) | Proposed Amendment (16 Days) | Impact for May 2026 Primary |
| Starts: April 7 | Starts: April 19 | 12 days of access lost |
| Ends: May 4 (Noon) | Ends: May 4 (Noon) | Increased pressure on staff |
Advocates expressed outrage that such a significant policy shift was introduced as a last-minute amendment without a dedicated public hearing. Gaskill dismissed calls for more testimony, stating that the public had already weighed in on the topic during debates over previous bills in 2025.
Julia Vaughn, Executive Director of Common Cause Indiana, called the move a “transparent effort to suppress voter participation,” while Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell said she was “appalled” by the late-hour change.
Despite the internal opposition from Sen. Walker regarding the amendment, he joined the Republican majority to advance the full bill to the Senate floor. If passed and signed into law, the changes would take effect immediately, beginning with the May 5, 2026, primary election.
Key Dates for the 2026 Primary
As Hoosiers prepare for the new system, here are the dates to keep in mind:
- April 6, 2026: Voter Registration Deadline.
- April 21, 2026: Expected start of the new 16-day early voting window.
- May 4, 2026 (Noon): Early voting ends.
- May 5, 2026: Primary Election Day.
