Indiana voters have until Oct. 5 to establish their voter eligibility. That is the deadline to register for the November general election.
Two Indiana laws can require immigrants to prove their citizenship to stay registered to vote. They determine who will be flagged for a citizenship check and what counts as proof of citizenship.
Already, one the laws has had a big impact. Indiana has rejected or canceled voter registrations for more than 60% of the immigrant Hoosiers flagged under the proof-of-citizenship law, according to court filings.
Taking time now to understand these laws will help you be ready to defend your right to vote if it is challenged.
What happened?
In the past two years, Indiana passed two state laws that determine whose citizenship will be checked, House Enrolled Act 1264 and House Enrolled Act 1680. President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers say laws like this are needed to combat what they falsely claim is rampant unauthorized voting by noncitizens.
“The right to vote is one of the main principles of a well-run democracy,” said Republican state Rep. Tim Wesco of Osceola, who authored both bills. “This bill is just one more step that can ensure a safe and secure election process.”
The legislation has drawn fierce opposition from Democrats and left-leaning organizations.
“Making thousands of Hoosiers who are U.S. citizens jump through extra hoops to vote because they are naturalized will result in many of those Hoosiers refusing to vote,” said Julia Vaughn, executive director of Common Cause Indiana. “As a state that struggles with low turnout, we hope the court will eventually see the error of this law, and that for future elections these citizens do not have a different set of voting rules.”
Ryan Snow, counsel with the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said: “These laws are discriminatory and risk disenfranchising hundreds, if not thousands, of eligible voters in the November elections, in violation of federal law.”
Last October, a coalition of voting rights and immigrant advocacy groups filed the first of two lawsuits arguing that the laws discriminate against naturalized and derived citizens (who become citizens automatically through a parent) by requiring them, but not U.S.-born citizens, to provide additional proof of citizenship to remain registered to vote.
Voting rights groups argued that imposing additional burdens on naturalized citizens violates the National Voter Registration Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
But this month, a federal judge dismissed the challenge, ruling that the plaintiffs did not have the right to sue because they haven’t shown the type of direct harm the U.S. Supreme Court requires organizations to prove before suing. As a result, the laws will stay in effect heading into the November midterms.
Can I be flagged?
The two laws target two different kinds of registered voters:
- House Enrolled Act 1264 compares the statewide voter rolls with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ list of people who have been issued a temporary driver’s license or ID. Any voter who is a naturalized or derived citizen and has held a temporary credential can be flagged.
- House Enrolled Act 1680 applies to new voters who signed up without providing a driver’s license or Social Security number since the bill took effect in 2025. Those voters may be asked to provide proof of citizenship before their registration is approved.
To check your own status: Go to indianavoters.in.gov and look up your registration. Any flags or pending actions will be reflected there.
What to do if I am flagged?
If you’re flagged under either law, you generally have 30 days to respond with documentary proof of citizenship. Accepted documents typically include: a U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, and a certificate of citizenship.
In Lake County, submit your documentation to:
Lake County Board of Elections and Registration
2293 N. Main St., Crown Point IN 46307
Phone: (219) 755-3795
Email: elections@lakecounty.in.org
