Indiana sees highest turnout for midterm election in 24 years

Voter turnout in Indiana’s Nov. 6 general midterm election hit its highest percentage in 24 years, with more than half of elected voters casting a vote.

Secretary of State Connie Lawson said Wednesday that 51 percent, or 2.3 million, of Indiana’s 4.5 million registered voters showed up to vote. The last time turnout was so high for a midterm general election was in 1994, when 58 percent of registered voters cast a vote.

Turnout was only 30 percent in Indiana’s last non-presidential general election, in 2014. General election turnout was 58 percent in 2016, when President Donald Trump soundly defeated Hillary Clinton.  

Marion County was below the state average with turnout of 48 percent, but most of the surrounding counties saw heavy traffic at polling places.

Turnout was 58 percent in Hamilton County, 56 percent in Hendricks County, 56 percent in Boone County, 55 percent in Hancock County, 53 percent in Morgan County, 51 percent in Shelby County, 50 percent in Johnson County, and 44 percent in Madison County.

Henry County had the highest turnout in the state, at 64 percent, followed by Spencer County at 62 percent.

Early voting continued to rise statewide, with 32 percent of voters casting early ballots, up from 16 percent in 2014.

In Marion County, 27 percent of voters cast early ballots. In Boone County, a whopping 55 percent of votes were cast early.