Getting out the vote

In his [Aug. 27] column, Bruce Hetrick challenged us—the opinion leaders of the Indianapolis community—to do more to encourage voter participation, and he has good reason to be concerned. According to the Indiana Civic Health Index, the Hoosier State ranks 48th in voter turnout and 43rd in voter registration. Some might be disappointed in our ranking, but I see this as a call to action.

I’ve spent the last four years working with Marion County’s public, private and charter high schools to bring yVote! into the classroom. We spend a great deal of time covering election basics, letting students “vote” in a mock election and registering those eligible to vote. I am hopeful that the more than 2,300 students we’ve registered continue to be enthusiastically involved in elections.

There are ways for you to be involved, too. Make sure your friends and family are registered to vote by Oct. 9. Find out where you go to vote on Election Day and spread the word to your neighborhood. Drive your elderly or disabled neighbors to the polls or see if they’d like to vote by mail. Tell your legislators you’d like to see Indiana extend its voting hours beyond 6 p.m. on Election Day.

These actions may seem insignificant, but working together, we can make Indiana a rising star in civic participation—and that’s a goal we can all take pride in.

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Elizabeth L. White
Marion County Clerk