Every election, I vote early. Some people love the energy at the polls on Election Day, but I like to skip the lines.
And I’m not alone in that. Research shows the number of people who vote early has nearly doubled since 2016. For Indiana’s primary election on May 5, you can cast your ballot as early as April 7. That’s when the City-County Building opens up for voting.
Voting sites in Marion County’s eight other townships will open April 25.
When you vote in the primary, you have to pick a political party and vote for that party’s candidates. The winners from each party will run in November’s general election.
A lot of these primary races affect our everyday lives, such as the township trustees who decide how to give out rent assistance or the state lawmakers who pass bills about your kids’ schools.
When can I vote early?
Early voting starts at the City-County Building downtown Tuesday, April 7, and runs until May 4. At the vote centers in Marion County’s nine townships, early voting starts April 25 and ends May 3. Hours can vary at the different vote centers.
Where can I vote early?
Registered voters in Marion County can head to the polls at any of the nine vote center locations; you don’t have to stick to your precinct. You can vote wherever is easiest: close to your home, work or school.
More vote centers will be open on Election Day, and you can use an online map to find the one closest to you.
Downtown Indianapolis (Center Township)
📍City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St.
Weekday hours
April 7-24: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 27-May 1: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May 4: 8 a.m. to noon
Weekend hours
April 25-26 and May 2-3: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Decatur Township
📍Decatur Township Government Center, 5410 S. High School Road
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Franklin Township
📍Franklin Township Government Center, 6231 S. Arlington Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Lawrence Township
📍Indianapolis Public Library Fort Ben Branch, 9330 E. 56th St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Perry Township
📍Perry Township Government Center, 4925 Shelby St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Pike Township
📍Indianapolis Public Library Pike Branch, 6525 N. Zionsville Road
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Warren Township
📍Warren Township Government Center, 501 N. Post Road
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Washington Township
📍St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
Wayne Township
📍Krannert Park Community Center, 605 S. High School Road
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25-May 3
How early voting works
- Show your ID to a poll worker, who will check you in. You can use a driver’s license, military ID or passport. As of July 2025, students can no longer use their college IDs.
- You’ll get a blank ballot and a security envelope to put it in.
- Take your ballot to a vote machine, put it into the machine and select which political party you’d like to vote for. You’ll then choose from that party’s candidates.
- Print the ballot with your choices, and check if it is correct. Take your completed ballot to a table where one Democratic poll worker and one Republican poll worker will fold your ballot, put it in the envelope and seal it.
- Take your “I voted!” sticker.
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Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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