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INDIANAPOLIS — Voter turnout has historically been low in Indiana, especially in local elections.
But Ashley Thompson, senior director of community impact and organizing at RISE Indy, is one of the people trying to make 2022 a little different.
“A lot of people aren’t even aware of the upcoming election. Even if they’re a registered voter, they’re like, I didn’t know this was an important election. And we’re like, yeah, our local elections are just as important as our national elections,” she said.
She spent Tuesday afternoon helping people register to vote at a pop-up registration event at Global Prep Academy on National Voter Registration Day. In midterm years, getting voters to the polls can be an uphill battle. In 2018. turnout was only 51% statewide.
But for many voters, local elections can be personal.
Across town, voters gather for a summit on crime. Jeff Blackwell lost his daughter, Samaria in the FedEx shooting last year. For him, crime in the Circle City is a reason to not only go to the polls, but to meet candidates, shake their hands, and ask their positions.
“This election is important to me because if you look around, the city’s in trouble,” he said.
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