Indiana voters shifting to mail-in ballots for primary

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2018 file photo, voters packed the Vigo County Annex in Terre Haute, Ind., during the final day of early voting. Many of Indiana's voters have shifted over the past decade to casting ballots days or weeks ahead of Election Day rather than standing in line at their neighborhood polling site on that day. The coronavirus outbreak is causing what could become an even bigger shift toward mail-in ballots for Indiana's upcoming primary election that's been delayed until June 2, 2020. (Austen Leake/Tribune-Star via AP File) FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2018 file photo, voters packed the Vigo County Annex in Terre Haute, Ind., during the final day of early voting. Many of Indiana's voters have shifted over the past decade to casting ballots days or weeks ahead of Election Day rather than standing in line at their neighborhood polling site on that day. The coronavirus outbreak is causing what could become an even bigger shift toward mail-in ballots for Indiana's upcoming primary election that's been delayed until June 2, 2020. (Austen Leake/Tribune-Star via AP File)

By TOM DAVIES / Associated Press May 10, 2020 5 min read

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Many of Indiana’s voters have shifted over the past decade to casting ballots days or weeks ahead of Election Day rather than standing in line at their neighborhood polling site on that day.

The coronavirus outbreak is causing what could become an even bigger shift toward mail-in ballots for Indiana’s upcoming primary election that’s been delayed until June 2.

Election officials and state political leaders are encouraging mail-in voting as a way to protect poll workers and voters from possible COVID-19 exposure even as plans still call for opening in-person voting sites on primary day.

Here are some things to know for this year’s primary:

MAIL-IN VOTING