To the editor:
On Nov. 8, will Hoosiers vote? In 2014, Indiana was dead last in the nation in turnout of eligible voters. The reasons are complicated and varied, but voter ID laws, polling location hours and a belief among many that the system is rigged to only offer choices representing the very establishment they are disillusioned with certainly contributes to low voter turnout.
If you might not vote for any of the above reasons, I urge you to investigate your options for candidates who support changes that would improve our process of selecting representation in Indiana.
Ask candidates if they support: same-day voter registration, removing party affiliation identifiers from the election ballot, relaxing voter ID laws, increasing opportunities for third party and independent candidates’ ballot placement, longer polling hours and increasing opportunities for early and absentee voting, in addition to campaign finance reform.
Not voting is essentially affirming your support for continued voter suppression. If enough voters demand it, we can make changes, even under a system that favors the status quo. This year, we will have higher turnout due to the presidential election, but the down ballot races are also important and impact our future enormously. Please vote.
Sean Gorman
Indianapolis
