BALLOT 101

Contributing Writers / Larry Lannan and Alison Gatz

What is straight party ticket voting??

When casting your vote in the 2023 Fishers municipal election, you are allowed to vote for individual candidates, or you are allowed to cast your ballot for all Democratic or Republican candidates, often referred to as straight-ticket voting.

**Please note, even if you vote a straight ticket, you’ll need to vote for At-Large candidates (up to three) and the HSE School Referendum vote.

If you don’t want to vote straight ticket, just continue past this option to select your individual candidates.

Fishers City Common Council

District

You will cast a ballot for the City Council member serving your district. If you selected straight party ticket, your party candidate will automatically be voted. You will choose one candidate, except in the Southeast District, where Republican Pete Peterson is unopposed.

At Large

All Fishers residents voting in the 2023 city election are allowed to vote in the At-Large City Council race. There are five candidates, three Republicans and two Democrats. You are allowed to vote for up to three of the five candidates running At-Large. The three candidates with the most votes are elected to the council.

HSE Schools Referendum

The language in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools referendum is largely dictated by Indiana state law and is difficult to understand, but here are a few ways to sort through the language.

The ballot wording uses the word “increase” several times. That technically means this is an increase over what the property tax rate would be with no referendum. The current referendum rate was approved in 2016, and the current school board has voted to ask voters to approve a rate slightly lower than the current referendum tax rate.

• A “No” vote would take about $26 million of revenue from HSE Schools.
• A “Yes” vote would continue the current referendum with a slightly lower

Dates of Significance

• Last day to register to vote for the Municipal Election is Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
• Vote early October 11-November 6
• Absentee/Vote by Mail application deadline is October 26, 2023, by midnight.
• Municipal Election is Tuesday, November 7, 2023

For more election/voter information,

         go to www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1462/Voting-and-Elections