2026 Indiana Election Calendar Brochure (PDF)
2026 Election Dates
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
First day a declaration of candidacy for major political party primary nomination (or election as a Democratic Party precinct committeeman, or state convention delegate of either major party at the primary) may be filed.
First day an independent or minor party candidate may file a petition of nomination with a county voter registration office for the general election for verification of petition signatures
First day to file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the general election.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for all candidate committees, legislative caucus committees, and political action committees to file annual campaign finance reports for 2025. (See related entry on March 2, 2026.)
Friday, February 6, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, to file a declaration of candidacy for major political party primary nomination (or election as a Democratic Party precinct committeeman, or state convention delegate of either major party at the primary).
Friday, February 13, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, to file a withdrawal of candidacy for the primary election.
Monday, March 2, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for regular party committees to file 2025 annual campaign finance reports.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
DEADLINE for the county election board to mail primary election absentee ballots to voters who filed an approved application.
Monday, April 6, 2026
VOTER REGISTRATION ENDS
DEADLINE at voter registration office's close of business for a voter to apply to register or transfer registration or at midnight for a voter to complete and submit a voter registration application online at indianavoters.com.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
First day a voter may early vote in the office of the circuit court clerk or satellite office.
Friday, April 10, 2026
End of pre-primary campaign finance reporting period.
Friday, April 16, 2026
First day a confined voter, a voter caring for a confined person at a private residence, or a voter with disabilities may vote an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board at the voter's residence or place of confinement.
Friday, April 17, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for filing pre-primary campaign finance reports for primary candidates.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
DEADLINE, by 11:59 pm, for the circuit court clerk to receive an absentee ballot application from an applicant requesting delivery of an absentee ballot by mail or an application from a voter with print disabilities requesting to vote by mail, fax, or email.
Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Office of the circuit court clerk must be open for at least seven (7) hours to permit early voting. However, in a county with a population of less than 20,000, the county election board may reduce hours to a minimum of four (4) hours on this date. Vote center counties must also have at least one vote center used on Election Day open for early voling, in addilion to the clerk's office.
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Office of the circuit court clerk must be open for al least seven (7) hours to permit early voting. However, in a county with a population of less than 20,000, the county election board may reduce hours to a minimum of four (4) hours on this date. Vote center counties must also have at least one vote center used on Election Day open for early voting, in addition to the clerk's office.
Monday, May 4, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for a circult court clerk to receive absentee ballot applications from confined voters or voters caring for a confined person requesting delivery of a ballot by an absentee voter board. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
DEADLINE, by noon, for a circuit court clerk to receive Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA) from military/overseas voters requesting to vote by email or fax.
DEADLINE, by noon, for a voter to early vote at the office of the circuit court clerk or satellite office.
DEADLINE for a confined voter, a voter caring for a confined person, or a voter with disabilities to vole an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board at the voter's place of confinement.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
Polls are open 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., prevailing local time.
Friday, May 8, 2026
First day a Democratic or Republican state or county party to fill a ballot vacancy where no candidate filed to run for an office at the primary election.
First day a Libertarian Party state chair can fill a ballot vacancy where no one was selected for an office at a state or county party convention.
Friday, May 15, 2026
First day, not earlier than noon, for a candidate or party chair to file a verified recount or contest petition.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
VOTER REGISTRATION OPENS
First day the circuit court clerk may receive absentee ballot applications from most voters for the general election. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
DEADLINE, by noon, for a candidate to file a verified recount or contest petition.
First day to file a petition and consent for a school board member elected at the general election.
Friday, May 22, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for a party chair to file a verified recount or contest petition.
Thursday, June 18, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, to file a petition and consent for a school board office elected at the general election.
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for an independent or minor party candidate to file a petition of nomination with a county voter registration office for verification of petition signatures,
Friday, July 3, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for the Democratic or Republican Party to select a candidate to fill a vacancy on the general election ballot due to a vacancy resulting from no candidate being nominated at a primary.
DEADLINE, by noon, for the Libertarian Party to conduct a county convention to nominate candidates or to take action to fill a ballot vacancy following a convention and to certify candidates nominated at convention or to certify a candidate selected to fill a vacancy following convention.
Monday, July 6, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for the Democratic or Republican Party to file a certificate of selection stating thal a vacancy on the general election ballot resulting from a vacancy on the primary election ballot has been filled.
DEADLINE, by noon, to file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate at the general election.
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for any candidate to voluntarily withdraw from the general election ballot.
DEADLINE, by noon, for the Democratic, Libertarian and Republican Parties to file a certificate of nomination of candidates nominated at the stale party conventions.
DEADLINE, by noon, for independent or minor party candidate to file consent and petition of nomination after county verification of petition signatures (See related entry for June 30, 2026).
Saturday, September 19, 2026
DEADLINE for county election board to mail absentee ballots to voters who have already filed an approved application.
Monday, October 5, 2026
VOTER REGISTRATION ENDS
DEADLINE at voter registration office's close of business for a voter to apply to register or transfer registration or at midnight for a voter to complete and submit a voter registration application online at indianavoters.com.
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
First day that a voter may early vote in the office of the circuit court clerk or satellite office.
Friday, October 9, 2026
End of pre-election campaign finance reporting period.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
First day a confined voter, a voter caring for a confined person at a private residence, or a voter with disabilities may vote an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board at the voter's residence or place of confinement.
Friday, October 16, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, to file pre-election campaign finance reports.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
DEADLINE, by 11:59 pm, for the circuit court clerk to receive an absentee ballot application from an applicant requesting delivery of a ballot by mail_or an application from a voter with print disabilities requesting to vote by mail, fax, or email. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Office of the circuit court clerk must be open for at least seven (7) hours to permit early voting. However, in a county with a population of less than 20,000, the county election board may reduce hours to a minimum of four (4) hours on this date. Vote center counties must also have at least one vote center used on Election Day open for early voling, in addition to the clerk's office.
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Office of the circuit court clerk must be open for al least seven (7) hours to permit early voting. However, in a county with a population of less than 20,000, the county election board may reduce hours to a minimum of four (4) hours on this date. Vote center counties must also have al least one vote center used on Election Day open for early voting, in addition to the clerk's office.
Monday, November 2, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for circuit court clerks to receive absentee ballot applications from confined voters or voters caring for a confined person requesting delivery of a ballot by absentee voter board. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
DEADLINE, by noon, for a circuit court clerk to receive Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA) from military/overseas voters requesting to vote by email or fax.
DEADLINE, by noon, for a voter to vote an absentee ballot in the office of the circuit court clerk or satellite office.
DEADLINE for a confined voter, a voler caring for a confined person, or a voter wilh disabilities to vole an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board at the voter's place of confinement.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
GENERAL ELECTION DAY
Polls are open 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., prevailing local time.
Friday, November 13, 2026
First day, not earlier than noon, for a candidate or party chair to file a verified recount or contest petition.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for a candidate to file a verified recount or contest petition.
Friday, November 20, 2026
DEADLINE, by noon, for a party to file a verified recount or contest petition.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
VOTER REGISTRATION OPENS
First day the circuit court clerk may receive absentee ballot applications from most voters for the 2027 municipal primary election. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, fax, email, or online at indianavoters.com.
Thursday, December 31, 2026
End of annual reporting period for campaign finance reports.