By State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper)
When Hoosiers cast their ballots, they have a right to know that the election is secure and others who are voting are legally registered.
That's why I supported House Enrolled Act 1264 this year, which gives election officials throughout the state new tools to catch illegally registered voters and remove them from the rolls.
This will help guarantee only eligible voters are registered to vote and cast their ballots.
This new law builds upon efforts over the last 20 years that aim to protect Indiana's elections. Previous laws include our voter ID law and requiring those who cast a mail-in ballot to provide a form of identification.
House Enrolled Act 1264 requires first-time voters to register in person and provide photo identification and proof of residency.
The bill also requires proof of citizenship to be able to vote.
It also gives county elections offices the ability to check addresses from the state's voter registration system with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles' temporary credentials list in order to make sure Hoosiers are eligible to vote.
The integrity of our elections is vital to our state and nation, and legislators should work hard to protect our elections to ensure only those eligible to vote are casting ballots.
House Enrolled Act 1264 was signed into law in March and will go into effect on July 1.
As always, constituents can reach out to me with any questions or concerns they may have by filling out a "Contact Me" form on the IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Messmer website or by phone at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48, which
includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
