Indiana

Low turnout on Election Day and a preview of November's elections • Indiana Capital Chronicle

Published

8 months ago

May 9, 2024

Low turnout on Election Day and a preview of November's elections • Indiana Capital Chronicle

As the dust settles from Tuesday’s primary, low turnout continues to plague Indiana’s elections. But some new faces will populate Indiana’s ever-changing political landscape while other politicians didn’t see the comeback they’d hope to achieve.

“Probably the biggest takeaway that I would have is that, in many ways, this was the most competitive primary Indiana has seen in a while. And yet, voter turnout was still exceptionally low,” said Greg Shufeldt, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis.

Greg Shufeldt, a political science professor at the Univeristy of Indianapolis. (Photo from the University of Indianapolis website)

He noted that in Marion County, the largest population center in the state, turnout was as low as 20% even with a historically competitive — and expensive — governor’s race.

“Having a multi-candidate governor’s race — and having as much money that was spent in the race — it was disappointing how few voters turned out to vote,” Shufeldt said.

A final turnout report from the Indiana Secretary of State’s office won’t be ready for weeks but preliminary reports suggest that turnout hovered around 20 to 25% for many parts of the state.

For comparison, 2022 primary turnout for the state was 14%, lower than the 24% turnout for 2020’s primary — which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and permitted expanded use of absentee ballots.

Indiana ranks near the bottom of the country when it comes to voter turnout for elections, according to the latest Indiana Civic Health Index. Out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., the Hoosier state ranked 50th out of 51 for voter turnout in 2022, and 40th when it comes to registration.

Still, state officials announced last week that the state has seen an increase in voter registration leading up to Tuesday’s elections.

The Secretary of State’s office reported an increase in voter registrations in the last month before April’s deadline when compared to data from the past five years. Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales pointed to a statewide voter outreach campaign as a driving force behind registration increase.

The latest voter registration and absentee ballot numbers have yet to be released by the Secretary of State, but the office indicated that 4,674,413 Hoosiers were registered to vote as of Jan. 2. That’s equal to about 69% of the state’s population.

Indiana’s late presidential primary

Hoosiers voting for president had no primary choices — Donald Trump and Joe Biden have been their parties’ nominees for months — but that didn’t stop some from checking the box for comparatively moderate Republican Nikki Haley. She dropped out of the race in March, but garnered votes from one in five, about 21%, of Republican voters.

That may have been a protest vote, per Shufeldt. Indiana has open primary elections, so Democrats and independents may have pulled GOP ballots and voted against the former president.

Although moderate group ReCenter Indiana and others have encouraged such primary-swapping, Shufeldt said getting voters to do so “systematically” would require a “more concerted push.”

Votes for Haley tallied at close to 125,000 as of Wednesday, according to the Indiana Secretary of State. Trump led in all Indiana counties, however.

The former United Nations Ambassador earned the highest support in Boone, Hamilton, Marion, Tippecanoe and St. Joseph counties, where 30% or more of voters opted for Haley. The most votes — 35.1% – came from Republicans in Marion County, equal to nearly 16,000 Hoosiers.

In the 2020 primary, almost 92% of Indiana’s Republican voters supported Trump. In a much more crowded GOP field in 2016, Trump topped eight other candidates, earning 33.6% of Republicans’ votes.

Braun walks away with it

Indiana’s most expensive gubernatorial primary ended in a whimper just an hour after most of the state’s polls closed, with U.S. Sen. Mike Braun finishing 18 percentage points ahead of his closest competitor.

Braun nabs early win in the Republican primary for governor

He came into the race with a hefty war chest, as did Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, but he didn’t spend the most; that was businessman Brad Chambers, who finished third. Chambers and Eric Doden, both wealthy entrepreneurs, poured money into their respective campaigns — including several multimillion dollar loans on Chambers’ part.

“This is kind of the power of incumbency and status quo,” Shufeldt said.

But, he noted, Braun did not win over a majority of primary voters; the senator won a plurality of about 40%.

Meanwhile, former Attorney General Curtis Hill’s political comeback ended with him at the bottom of the pile of Republican gubernatorial candidates — behind a conservative activist running on a shoestring budget but backed by dedicated volunteers.

“Other candidates with similarly sullied reputations that have been rejected by voters can find second or third chances, so I wouldn’t necessarily rule (a rebound) out,” Shufeldt said. But, he added, “Who Curtis Hill would have needed to win an election was so very clearly already in Sen. Braun’s camp.”

The Indiana Supreme Court in 2020 suspended then-Attorney General Hill’s law license for 30 days after finding that he committed criminal battery, and he lost in a 2020 convention to sitting Attorney General Todd Rokita.

Changes coming to the Statehouse

Two incumbent state lawmakers lost their seats in Tuesday’s elections: Rep. Sharon Negele and Sen. David Vinzant of Hobart. Several others narrowly survived close elections.

Vinzant narrowly won the seat in a January caucus vote over Mark Spencer, but Spencer won the voters on Tuesday. Negele, on the other hand, had held her seat for five terms, losing to military veteran and teacher Matthew Commons by over 2,000 votes.

Rep. Sharon Negele, R-Attica, says the House and Senate will compromise over inflation relief and social services bill. (Whitney Downard/ Indiana Capital Chronicle)

The Attica Republican has represented House District 13 since 2012. The seat is geographically large, covering all of Benton and Warren counties, and portions of Fountain, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe and White counties.

She has been known in the Statehouse as an effective legislator with clout in the House Republican caucus. Earlier this year she spearheaded a bill to tackle the criminalization of revenge pornography using artificial intelligence.

But the race against Commons was about local control, said Dave Bangert, a local journalist running the Based in Lafayette Substack.

The biggest part of that was the move by the state to pipe millions of gallons of water from Tippecanoe County to central Indiana for the LEAP Innovation Park. Negele filed legislation to slow down or curb that process but it went nowhere.

Elsewhere in the district, a controversial carbon sequestration project that Negele supported also loomed large. And even a local puppy mill ban got caught up in a preemptive new law taking power from communities.

“Commons said there is nobody down there who can save us. We need a change and a different voice,” Bangert said. “The rural communities came together with a loud voice.”

He also added that Negele’s defeat will be felt by Purdue University and Tippecanoe, and noted the district will lose a lot of influence in the caucus.

Commons ultimately took 60% of the vote in the race.

A preview of races to come

A wave of Republican General Assembly retirements opened up seats that attracted several primary contenders, including one four-way race that was decided by less than 100 votes. The Indiana Democratic Party hopes to flip some of these in November’s elections, especially those in vulnerable suburban seats around Indianapolis, meaning that the deluge of spending and advertising is far from over.

Congressional primary victors emerge from crowded Indiana races

A “Break the Supermajority” tour by the party launched in Carmel, featuring Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn alongside House candidates Matt McNally and Josh Lowry as well as Senate candidate Joel Levi.

Democrat Garcia Wilburn’s seat was previously held by a Republican who retired, longtime educator and lawmaker Tony Cook. McNally, a retired military veteran, and Lowry, an attorney, hope to also flip Republican seats vacated after the retirements of Jerry Torr and Donna Schaibley, respectively.

Lowry will face off against former Colts player Hunter Smith while McNally is running against business leader Danny Lopez in November.

Pharmacy technician Levi, on the other hand, is targeting incumbent Noblesville Sen. Scott Baldwin.

All three seats cover portions of Hamilton County, long a Republican enclave but one of the fastest-growing parts of the state — which Democrats hope can be used to their advantage in November’s elections.

However, breaking the GOP’s decade-old supermajority in both chambers is easier said than done. Republicans currently hold 40 of 50 seats in the Senate and 70 of 100 seats in the House, meaning any action requiring a two-thirds majority vote can advance without Democratic input.

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Indiana

Five takeaways from Indiana's win against Winthrop

Published

5 hours ago

December 30, 2024

Press Room

Five takeaways from Indiana's win against Winthrop

Indiana wrapped up non-conference play with a 77-68 win against Winthrop on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Here are five takeaways from the win against the Eagles:

Langdon Hatton delivers for a short-handed IU frontcourt

Langdon Hatton’s minutes had been limited through Indiana’s first 12 games. But with Oumar Ballo unavailable to play and Malik Reneau battling foul issues, it was Hatton’s turn to make an impact against Winthrop.

And the senior from Georgetown, Indiana, delivered his best performance this season.

Hatton logged a season-high 26 minutes in Sunday’s win and finished with seven points, 11 rebounds, three blocked shots, an assist and a steal.

He was 1-for-3 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.

“Being from Indiana, it’s just a dream to even be on the team,” Hatton said postgame. “So when your number gets called, it’s like a dream come true. So it’s pretty awesome. Just excited to be able to help the team out.”

Whether Hatton’s play leads to a bigger role moving forward remains to be seen, but his fundamentally sound play and hustle were a welcome addition to Sunday’s win.

With only one big, the floor opened up for Myles Rice

With Ballo unavailable and the Hoosiers playing a one-big lineup all afternoon, Myles Rice had more space in the lane to operate.

Rice took advantage early and often on his way to a game-high 18 points.

The redshirt sophomore did most of his damage at the rim as he shot 7-for-10 on 2s. Rice also dished out three assists and had three steals in 32 minutes.

“I saw them pressuring me pretty much 75 percent of the length of the court,” Rice said postgame. “They were trying to pressure me at halfcourt, and to me, I found that like a little bit disrespectful just because of my speed and my quickness.

“And I just saw my opportunities to attack whether they were trying to like stop me from going one way and I would just go other way. But any time anybody tries to pressure me full court, I feel like I have the advantage just because of my speed and my quickness.”

Through 13 games, Rice is shooting close to 57 percent on 2s and has six games of 17 or more points.

A dismal perimeter shooting performance

Luke Goode made Indiana’s first 3-point attempt of the game at the 17:04 mark of the first half.

It would be the only time the Hoosiers connected from deep throughout the game.

Indiana shot a dismal 1-for-20 (five percent) from distance and is now shooting 30.6 percent on 3s this season. That ranks 278th in the country.

“You’re always concerned about them,” Mike Woodson said postgame when asked if he was concerned about the outside shooting. “We’re shooting them. And again, if they were bad threes, then I would really sit here and complain. But they were good threes, and I feel good about the guys that are shooting them.

“So again, eventually, they are going to make them. That’s how I think.”

With non-conference play complete, Indiana ranks 353rd in the country in point distribution from 3-pointers. The Hoosiers are scoring just 22 percent of their points off of 3s. Among high-major teams, only Michigan State and Syracuse rank lower.

Indiana finishes non-conference play with no wins of significance

Non-conference play is complete,and Indiana has 18 games remaining, all of which will come against Big Ten opponents.

The Hoosiers have significant work to do after not recording a single significant win in non-conference play.

Indiana bet big on the Battle 4 Atlantis as an opportunity for resume worthy wins and lost that gamble. The Hoosiers were blown out by Louisville and Gonzaga and then beat Providence, ranked just 78th in KenPom.

The best win on IU’s resume is currently South Carolina. The Gamecocks are the lowest-ranked KenPom team at No. 63 in the Southeastern Conference.

With the program outside the NCAA tournament field in most projections and with just a 20.8 percent chance to return to March Madness according to Bart Torvik’s TourneyCast, the Hoosiers will need to finish several games over .500 in league play to build a tournament-worthy resume.

“Every game is important moving forward,” Woodson said postgame. “Can’t look back. Every game is important. We’ve got Rutgers coming in. That’s my only focus right now.”

Woodson doesn’t address the absence of Oumar Ballo

Despite being in his warm-up shirt and candy stripe pants, Oumar Ballo never warmed up for Sunday’s game.

Ballo also seemed to be walking around just fine after being listed as questionable on the Big Ten’s availability report earlier in the day.

In his postgame press conference, Woodson was asked about the nature of Ballo’s absence and how long he had to prepare for it.

“I’m not going to address that,” Woodson said. “But didn’t have a lot of lead time. But that doesn’t matter. You know, guys that are in uniform have got to play, and he didn’t play tonight, and you know, we’ll sit down tomorrow and address his situation and get ready for Rutgers.”

With Ballo out, Reneau started at the five and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in just 14 minutes due to foul trouble.

Filed to: Winthrop Eagles

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Jimmy Carter's legacy lives on in Indiana, impacting Hoosiers in multiple ways

Published

12 hours ago

December 30, 2024

Press Room

Jimmy Carter's legacy lives on in Indiana, impacting Hoosiers in multiple ways

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Former Pres. Jimmy Carter left an insurmountable impact on the American people, including Hoosiers.

Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia on Sunday. He was 100 years old.

The one term president entered the White House in 1977, promising he would be a commander in chief marked by compassion.

“He was known internationally for his work in bringing peace, eradicating tropical diseases, a whole world of humanitarian relief projects,” Indiana University Law Professor Jody Madeira said.

Though his time in office was short, he focused on eliminating segregation, increasing public health, and broadening American interests abroad.

Madeira said his work across the glob is difficult to measure.

“He was also known for a lot of peace initiatives while he was in office…the Camp David Accords, the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and the Panama Canal Treaties,” Madeira said.

Back in the Midwest, Carter’s time in office came at a moment Hoosiers were eager to know how the United States’ relationship with allies, and foreign adversaries, could impact their day-to-day lives.

At the time, the region was considered a bellwether of stability following World War II and in the 1970s.

Indiana University Indianapolis History Professor and Director of American Studies Raymond Haberski says Carter’s decisions in those four years still impact us today and may have changed the trajectory for Indiana.

“He is known for the rise of globalization and the way that things became increasingly interconnected, especially after the Vietnam war,” Haberski said. “So, what happens to manufacturing in the Midwest? What happens to inflation, the price of gasoline? Things like that. But, all those things happen under Carter, and he was really the first president to begin to grapple with issues that affected people … in regions of the country that had been fairly stable.”

Each one of those topics permeate politics today, even in Indiana. But, it’s Carter’s life after the White House that he is remembered for.

“President Jimmy Carter is known as a very, very pivotal figure for Habitat for Humanity,” Madeira said. “He was a huge supporter. Ae also traveled extensively for peace negotiations around the world. He monitored elections around the world to ensure that they were full and fair and people were not disenfranchised. He actually had a third public health related venture, which is eliminating tropical diseases.”

Each one of those endeavors was felt in the Hoosier state, and continue to be.

“You know we are bold and sort of brave as Hoosiers,” Madeira said. “We do innovative things, and I think that is something that we have in common.”

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Indiana

Lukas Paegle Stays In-State With Commitment To Indiana's Class of 2029

Published

20 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Press Room

Lukas Paegle Stays In-State With Commitment To Indiana's Class of 2029

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Scholastic All-American Lukas Paegle has opted to stay in-state, signing with Indiana University as part of its class of 2029. Not only is Paegle an Indiana native but he’s already based in Bloomington, swimming for the Indiana Swim Club and Bloomington South. He will overlap for a year with Kristina Paegle, a current junior on the team.

I am very proud and excited to announce that I will be continuing my athletic and academic career at Indiana University! I would like to thank all my friends, family, teammates, and coaches from all over for helping me get to where I am. I would also like to thank @indianaswimdive for all the support.
GO HOOSIERS! 🟥⬜️

Paegle last competed at the Winter Junior Championships — East, where he earned a 15th-place finish in the 100 butterfly (48.30). He also swam lifetime bests in the 40 freestyle (20.47), and 200 butterfly (1:49.42) at the meet.

In addition to taking strides on the club scene, Paegle has been an asset to Bloomington South’s high school team. Last season, he leaped from eighth in the 100 butterfly at the IHSAA Boys State Championship up to second with a 48.03. He added a fourth place in the 50 freestyle (20.52). Paegle swam on the team’s fifth-place 200 medley relay and second-place 400 free relay, helping the school to a fifth-place overall finish with its most total points since 2017.

Best Times (SCY):

50 freestyle: 20.47
100 freestyle: 45.11
200 freestyle: 1:41.83
100 butterfly: 47.85
200 butterfly: 1:49.42

Paegle will need to drop from his current yards lifetime bests to score at the Men’s Big 10 Conference Championships in his primary events, but will be a solid addition to the Hoosiers’ butterfly group. In 2024, Indiana claimed it’s third consecutive Big Ten title and the team’s sixth in eight years. The Hoosiers went on to finish fourth at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

This year, the team is hoping to jump up the standings and win the overall crown. The Hoosiers have assembled one of the strongest transfer classes in history to strengthen this year’s team, but the squad is also looking to keep the team strong in the seasons to come.

When Paegle arrives on campus for his freshman season, he will be part of a freshman class that includes Josh Hedberg, the top-ranked diving recruit in his high school class, along with three of SwimSwam’s top-20 ranked recruits in the class, #3 Luke Ellis, #8 Josh Bey, and #12 Noah Cakir.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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