Common Cause Indiana is a non-profit citizens lobbying group that works for open, honest and accountable government.  We want to ensure that all Hoosiers have equal access to voting but right now, that's not the case for voters in Marion County.

Our Case

In person early voting has become very popular so most counties are expanding the number of early voting locations.  Under state law, doing so requires a unanimous vote of the county election board.  Unfortunately, since 2010, one person, the Republican appointee to the Marion County Election Board, has refused to support early voting at satellite locations.  In Indiana's most populous county, those who choose to vote early must travel downtown to the County Clerk's office.  Parking is difficult and the lines are long - this negatively impacts voter turnout. 

It is also unconstitutional.  Our constitution says that all voters have to have the same access and currently, voting is less accessible in Marion County than in surrounding communities. That is why Common Cause IN has filed a lawsuit to force the county election board and state to make more early, in-person satellite voting locations available in Marion County.

Why We Are Crowdfunding

Our legal team is donating their services but we will have significant expenses associated with this lawsuit. Please help make it possible for us to raise the issues of inequity, and particularly the disproportionate burden this has on minority voters, before the courts, by making a donation of $20 today.

We need to raise at least $5,000 immediately for additional expenses, including expert-related ones, so we'll have a decision before the next election cycle in 2018.  If we can make it to our stretch target of $10,000 we'll have enough to finish the work and won't have to worry about doing additional fundraising.  Please do what you can to help us get this done.  

Indiana's voter turnout rate is among the nation's lowest.  Instead of making voting less accessible, our state should strive for an easy and convenient election process.  They certainly shouldn't allow partisan politics to get in the way of voting access.   Help us force election officials at the state and county level to give voters in Marion County the same access to early voting that our neighboring counties have.