Rep. Jennifer Meltzer offers option to let any municipality move local elections to even-numbered years

Representative Jennifer Meltzer presented House Bill 10‑55, which would remove a population cap and allow any city or town to vote to move municipal elections into even‑numbered years. "What it does is remove the population cap for when a city or town can move their elections to an even numbered year," Meltzer said, calling the change a local option rather than a mandate.

Meltzer told the panel the bill simply expands choice for local governments and the existing chapter of law already outlines the procedure: a council or town board would vote to move elections to either midterm or general election years, and the change is then processed through local clerks and the secretary of state's office. "All this is a choice for local units of government to have their elections in even number years instead of odd," she said.

Supporters emphasized turnout and cost concerns. Rhonda Cook, testifying for the City of Lawrenceburg on behalf of Mayor Kelly Millon, said the mayor supports the option because municipal turnout is low: "after knocking on thousands of doors, he'd just like to see a greater turnout," she said. A representative of the Secretary of State's office also told the committee their study showed municipal elections have a higher cost per vote and lower turnout than general or midterm years, and that giving municipalities the option could save money and increase participation.

Opponents raised concerns that moving local elections could dilute local issues. Amy Krieg of AIM (representing cities and towns in Indiana) said her association traditionally opposes shifting municipal elections into even years because down‑ballot races can be crowded out by statewide and national campaigns: "What should be quality of place topics ... often end up filing into those topics that most national and statewide candidates run on," she said, and AIM asked to work with the bill author on language to protect local focus.

Senators asked procedural and policy questions. Senator Cadore asked whether certified vendor functionality exists for statutory retraction features and how counties and municipalities would implement the change. Meltzer said the bill does not create the municipal procedure—those procedures already exist in code—but it expands which municipalities may elect to use them; she said local officials would place a resolution on a public agenda, vote, record it in clerk‑treasurer books, notify the circuit court clerk and the Secretary of State's office.

The committee did not vote on HB 10‑55 at the hearing; members said they would take the measure up at a future meeting after further review.

The bill remains under consideration pending committee action.