If we want better political representation, let's stop voting straight ticket in Indiana
Indiana is one of only six states to allow straight-ticket voting. (Getty Images)
A few years back, I was knocking on doors for a school board candidate I supported. It was a day of productive conversations about transportation, curriculum, funding, taxes, extracurriculars, school lunches, and so much more.
That was until I knocked on what was probably the twentieth door of the day. The man who opened it immediately saw I was holding a pamphlet, and simply asked, 'Which party?' I was frozen for a split second, before gathering my wits and explaining. 'Actually, this is for a school board race! The candidates are nonpartisan.' I saw a look of disappointment flash across his face. But the conversation that continued from there was just as rich as the ones I'd had before. By the end of our chat, I think we both learned something about the role of schools in our community.
Sadly, conversations like these are rare in Indiana, because we are one of only seven states that still allows straight ticket voting. Straight ticket voting was once widespread nationwide, but most states have abolished it since the 1960s. While Indiana limited its use in 2016, it persists for most major votes. It's a practice that rewards partisan ignorance — you don't even have to look at candidate names. Check a box, R or D, and almost all votes are marked.
I say almost because some candidates, such as judges and school board members, are left out of a straight ticket vote. As a teacher, I'm grateful. And I'm relieved that this exclusion was maintained in the final version of Senate Enrolled Act 287, which put Indiana in a club of just nine other states requiring school board candidates to declare a political party.
But I found it telling to hear how the bill's author, Sen. Gary Byrne, justified adding parties into school board elections: 'People don't know who they're voting for…Knowing which political party a candidate identifies with will help Hoosiers know what kind of principles that person would apply to their position.'
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Of course, this assumes that there are only two ways to govern – Republican or Democrat. In education, as in any other sector, nothing could be further from the truth. The partisan binary in a straight ticket simplifies a much more complicated discourse, enabling people to be uninformed when they vote.
If everything comes down to party, we may as well allow artificial intelligence to determine election results based on population characteristics and party affiliation. But that's not how democracy is supposed to work. Democracy requires an open debate that transcends parties. It requires voters to weigh heavily the responsibility of their choice.
Advocates of straight ticket voting claim it's popular, but if that were true, Indiana wouldn't have one of the most abysmal voter turnout rates in the nation. In fact, the partisan heuristic is just as likely to turn off voters. Both of our major political parties are deeply unpopular, with solid majorities viewing both unfavorably. About half of Americans don't even identify with a political party, and those rates continue to decline. The data is clear: straight ticket voting is about tribal self-preservation, not voter education.
That's how we often find ourselves stuck with problematic, mean, and ethically questionable candidates sliding into positions of power, especially down the ballot. There's too few options on the table. By emphasizing partisan affiliation over all else, proponents of straight-ticket voting assume that voters are too busy or uninformed to understand real issues. That's a dismissive way to understand the electorate.
So as voters, how do we push back? It's simple: just refrain from voting a straight ticket. We should feel uneasy if we put someone into power without knowing what they are capable of. Get to know the full ballot ahead of time — your coroner, your auditor, your treasurer. Ensure that you walk into the voting room and recognize every name. Google them. Email them. Call them. Ask questions early. When election day comes, you can confidently cast each vote, with no abstentions, knowing exactly how they'll use the power you're giving them
It takes time. But when we stop using the straight ticket, maybe Indiana will send it to the dustbin where it belongs.
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