Support for a Vote Center Model in Monroe County, Indiana

Through its Midwest Voting Rights Program, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights has been a leader in advocating for voter access measures, while appreciating an increasingly challenging environment for election authorities and trends such as polling place consolidation. In our assistance and advocacy to the Vote Center Study Committee of Monroe County, Indiana, we advanced a civil rights framework for jurisdictions considering universal voting and polling place consolidation, providing a blueprint for advocates in the Midwest and beyond. 

In late 2023, our Director of Strategic Initiatives and Midwest Voting Rights Program, Ami Gandhi, was appointed as a nonpartisan member of the Monroe County, Indiana, Vote Center Study Committee to research the potential implications of adopting a vote center model.  

Monroe County currently uses a precinct-based polling place model where voters are assigned to specific polling places based on their address. Under a vote center model, voters can cast a ballot at any county location of their choosing on Election Day. This issue has particular importance in Monroe County because of the large proportion of eligible student voters from Indiana University. 

The Vote Center Study Committee recently finalized its proposal in support of Monroe County shifting to a vote center model. On May 19, the Monroe County Election Board held a hearing allowing for public comment on vote centers and to vote on the Vote Center Study Committee’s proposed plan. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee’s Midwest Voting Rights Program submitted written testimony endorsing the Vote Center Study Committee’s final plan and Ami attended in-person to provide remarks at the hearing on behalf of the committee. 

Unfortunately, in its second hearing on vote centers, Monroe County’s election board voted 2 in favor and 1 opposed to the Vote Center Study Committee’s plan. Because state law required a unanimous bipartisan vote to adopt the plan, the plan was rejected and effectively ended the chance that vote centers could be established for the 2026 election cycle. Additional details from the hearing are chronicled in this article by B Square Bulletin. 

Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights endorsed the Vote Center Study Committee’s plan because, when implemented effectively, vote centers can increase convenience and expand options for all voters.  

Our Midwest Voting Rights Program helps run the nonpartisan 866-OUR-VOTE hotline in Indiana where trained legal volunteers answer questions from voters and help them overcome challenges they face while trying to vote. Our team has heard directly from Indiana voters who have called the hotline after realizing they have arrived at the wrong polling place. At times, voters realize this too late and end up not having enough time to travel to the correct polling place to cast a ballot.  

Vote centers would alleviate this issue by allowing voters to vote at any county location, rather than being limited to a single assigned location. This could significantly reduce confusion, especially for voters with demanding work or school schedules, limited transportation options, or other logistical barriers.  

The Vote Center Study Committee’s plan thoughtfully addressed equity concerns by converting all 29 current super-precincts into vote centers, with some location tweaks to improve voter access. This plan would have helped reduce potential confusion by keeping access to familiar polling places for voters.  

Throughout the public process, student voices have highlighted the challenges they face getting to their polling places, often relying on multiple bus routes or difficulty navigating public transport. The plan ensured that at least one vote center be located on or adjacent to the Indiana University Bloomington campus directly supporting student voters who may lack transportation or familiarity with public transit.  

At times, some lawmakers and government leaders in Indiana have voiced a preference for students voting at their previous home addresses rather than registering to vote where they currently live based on the university they are attending. It's important to know that legally, students can and should be able to register based on where they are living currently, including their university campus.  

As of 2025, about 65 of Indiana’s 92 counties have adopted vote centers, leading to a lack of conformity that has caused voter confusion. When implemented with safeguards to ensure equity, transitioning to a vote center model has potential to increase voter participation, reduce barriers, and strengthen election systems in Indiana. Monroe County’s proposed plan was promising, and we are disappointed in this outcome from the election board. 

We commend the Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee, including our own staff member and Monroe County resident, Ami Gandhi, for their commitment to accessible and equitable elections. We also appreciate the contributions and expertise of our Equal Justice Works fellow Conner Kozisek, whose fellowship focuses on polling place changes, closures, and consolidations, which can make voter access harder for marginalized groups, including voters of color, low-income voters, disabled voters, elderly voters, and voters with limited English proficiency.

We look forward to continuing to work with partners, election officials, and community members to protect and expand voting rights in Indiana and beyond.