As with so many things, voting this year is going to look very different than it has in the past. Find information about how to register to vote, how to cast your ballot, and where to get information about candidates running for office.
As you count down to election day, check out these politically-inspired movies and books.
Step 1: Register to vote!
*Last day to register is Monday, October 5th.
*Think you are registered? Double check by visiting the Indiana Voter Portal.
*Yes! You can register and vote if you were previously incarcerated or are on parole or probation, in home detention, in jail awaiting trial or in a community correction program. For more information visit ACLU Indiana
There are three easy ways to register to vote. It only takes 3 minutes!
- Register to vote online at Indiana Voter Portal
- Register to vote by mail using the Indiana voter registration form.
- Register to vote in person at the Voter Registration Office on the 4th Floor of the County City Building
- 227 West Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, IN 46601
- Phone: 574-235-9521
- Fax: 574-235-7847
What you need to register:
- Have a valid Indiana Driver’s License or Indiana State Identification Card.
- Be a citizen of the United States.
- Be at least 18 years old on or before election day. (A 17-year-old may register and vote in the primary election if the voter turns 18 on or before election day.)
- Have lived in your precinct for at least 30 DAYS before election day.
- Not currently imprisoned after being convicted of a crime.
Important Resources
- Indiana Voter Portal
- register to vote
- check your registration and voting status
- vote by mail
- find your voting location
- learn about election security
Step 2: Get informed!
- Know the candidates that will show up on your ballot.
- Research these candidates.
- Find out what issues are important in 2020.
Mark Your Calendars
- Live Debate between candidates for St. Joseph County Commissioner, District 2 Oliver Davis and Derek Dieter at 6om on Friday, October 2.
- will air on Public Access Michiana TV
- will premiere on the Leage of Women Voter’s Facebook page.
- Live Debate between candidates for Indiana Senate, Distric 8 Gary Davis and Michael Bohacek at 6pm on Friady, October 16.
- will air on Public Access Michiana TV
- will premiere on the Leage of Women Voter’s Facebook page.
- Live Debate between congressional candidates Jackie Walorski and Pat Hacket at 7pm on Wednesday, October 28.
- will air on ABC-57, WNDU-16, WSBT-22, WNIT-34.1 and FM radio WVPE-88.1
- Facebook event page
Resources
- Vote411 – election information you need, brought to you by the League of Women Voters. See your sample ballot and compare candidate answers to policy questions.
- OneMoreVoice.com – a nonpartisan, statewide effort to register new voters and help Hoosiers understand the issues and know the candidates on the ballot. Find information about candidates and issues.
- Voting as an informed citizen – Bendable Community Collection by Lisa Plencner, Director of voter registration for the League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area.
- Factcheck.org – monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
- Politifact.org – run by independent editors and journalists, focused on looking at specific statements made by politicians and rating them for accuracy.
Step 3: Get out to vote!
Mark your calendars! Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. There are several ways to vote this year. Make a voting plan and double check deadlines.
Vote Early
Early voting (also called absentee in-person voting) will take place Tuesday, October, 6, 2020 to Monday, November 2, 2020.
*You must bring a government-issued ID with you to the polls.
Locations
- South Bend: Lobby of the County City Building, 227 W Jefferson Boulevard, South Bend, IN 46601
- Mishawaka: Lobby of the County Services Annex, 219 Lincoln Way West, Mishawaka, IN 46544
Hours:
- Monday-Friday beginning October 6 – 8:00am – 4:30pm
- Saturday, October 24 & October 31, 2020 – 8:00am – 4:00pm
- Sunday, November 1, 2020 – 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Vote By Mail
*In order to vote by mail, you must complete an absentee appliation and get it approved by the St. Joseph County Circuit Cour Clerk’s office before filling our your ballot.
To request an absentee-by mail ballot, application must be received by Thursday, October 22, 2020.
Completed absentee-by-mail ballot must be received by Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Absentee ballot application:
Application for Absentee Ballot
Solicitud de Voto en Ausencia por Correo Unicamente
Complete an Absentee Ballot Application and mail it to:
St. Joseph County Election Board
101 S Main Street
South Bend, IN 46601
Or email it to: absenteevoting@sjcindiana.com
To vote by mail the following must apply (see the full list here):
- You will be absent from the county on the Election Day (during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open).
- You have a disability.
- You are at least 65 years of age.
- You are prevented from voting due to the availability of transportation to the polls.
*Please note when filling out your application that Indiana Law does not recognize COVID as an acceptable reason for voting absentee by mail.
Check out 2020 Absentee Voting Information on the St. Joseph County website.
You can also hand deliver your absentee ballot, for information about how to do this visit the LMV’s 2020 Absentee Voting Page
Vote at a Voting Center on Election Day
This year, you can vote at any voting center. You do not have to vote at an assigned location.
Find a full list of voting centers here or search for your nearest voting center at Indiana Voter Portal.
Bring a government-issued ID with you to the polls.
Make your voting plan (share it with the world and tag @sjcpl)
Vote Ready – English
Vote Ready – Spanish
Step 4: Volunteer to Work the Polls
Level up your civic engagement by volunteering as a poll worker! This year more than ever there is anticipated to be a shortage of volunteers to work the polls. Our democracy depends on this vital work.
To sign up, fill out this St. Joseph County Poll Workers Form (link currently not working) or sign up at Power the Polls.
You can also call the local Democratic or Republic Party office to sign up.
- Democratic Party – 574-288-8683
- Republican Party – 574-299-1388
