Will Indiana’s deadline for voter registration be altered by the total solar eclipse?

Indianapolis, Indiana – While everyone will be watching the complete solar eclipse over the skies on April 8, citizens of Indiana should also be checking their voter registration.

The day of the solar eclipse that will cover the majority of the state falls on the same day as the deadline for registering to vote in Indiana’s next primary. In advance of the event, many county offices will be closed on Monday, according to a March email from the Indiana Election Division; however, some voters may be able to extend the deadline.

“This isn’t just a special day for space enthusiasts,” the newsletter said.

State legislation states that the in-person application deadline is extended to noon on the following day if a county office is closed on the deadline day. This implies that if a county office was closed on Monday due to the eclipse, Hoosiers had until Tuesday, April 9 at noon to register to vote.

Residents must submit their applications by the end of the office’s business day if a county office is open on the day of the eclipse. There is no extension for the deadline for in-person registration. It is advised that inhabitants of Indiana inquire about their county’s operating hours.

Co-director of the election division Angela Nussmeyer stated that the agency is unsure of the number of counties that might have changed their hours because of the eclipse.

The deadline for online registration is still the same, even though the date for in-person registration may be changed. To register for the upcoming primary, Hoosiers must submit their online forms by Monday at 11:59 p.m.

A significant portion of central and southern Indiana will be traversed by the 115-mile (185-kilometer) path of totality, which will at least experience a partial eclipse over the entire state. The following cities are on the line of totality: Muncie, Indianapolis, Terre Haute, and Bloomington. It is anticipated that the celestial event will significantly increase state tourism.

The election division bulletin stated that early voting will begin on Tuesday in conjunction with the opening of county offices, regardless of whether a county is closed on “eclipse day.”
May 7 is the primary election in Indiana.