Independent Secretary of State candidate Greg Ballard says Indiana must keep tight control of its own voter data as he pushes a new statewide system of printed and digital voter guides that he argues will better inform Hoosiers and boost turnout.
Responding to questions about a recent White House executive order and broader federal involvement in elections, Ballard said he opposes sending Indiana’s voter information to Washington.
“I’m very open about the fact that I think states should maintain their own data,” Ballard said. “I didn’t like it when our voter data went up to the federal government. I’m not a fan of that at all. I think states should be running their own elections and make sure they do it right.”
Ballard framed that stance as part of a larger effort to modernize election administration from the state level. At a press event, he unveiled a prototype for what he describes as Indiana’s first state-sponsored printed voter guide, paired with a mobile application. The goal, he said, is to tackle both low voter turnout and the lack of basic information many Hoosiers face when they walk into the voting booth.
“Voting is one of the most important things we do as Hoosiers,” Ballard said. “No Hoosier should ever walk into the voting booth feeling unprepared to cast their ballot, and no one should stay home because they didn’t have time to learn who or what would be on that ballot.”
The prototype guide is based on real information from Ballard’s own precinct in Boone County. It includes a sample ballot that voters can mark in advance and bring to the polls, explanations of constitutional amendments, and basic descriptions of what each office does. A digital version in app form mirrors the printed guide and adds tools such as Google Maps integration.
If elected Secretary of State, Ballard said he would mail a customized printed voter guide to every registered voter in Indiana for each general election. The content would be tailored down to the precinct level, so each voter would see only the races and questions that appear on their specific ballot.
“Each registered voter would receive a printed voter’s guide mailed to their home for each general election, with customized information for all of the races on their ballot. Not their friends, not their mothers, theirs,” he said.
The guide would list candidates, polling locations, and guidance on ballot questions or constitutional amendments. It would also include instructions on what to do if a voter’s right to cast a ballot is challenged at the polls. The app would provide the same information and, using map integration, show both early voting and Election Day locations, with one-tap calendar reminders.
Ballard argued that better-prepared voters would move more quickly through the process, shortening lines and making it less likely that people will walk away without voting.
On cost, Ballard said his team produced a detailed estimate and concluded the program would run between $2.5 million and $3 million per election cycle. He cast that as a relatively small expense within the state budget.
“Two and a half million dollars on average, which is a penny for every $100 the state spends,” Ballard said. He added that the cost is roughly equivalent to “6–7 days of interest that the state makes,” and insisted, “It’s certainly doable.”
He said technology has made compiling precinct-level data manageable and that the main cost drivers are printing and distribution, not building or maintaining the database.
Ballard also pledged that both the printed guide and app would be strictly nonpartisan. He said that, if elected, he would operate as a politically independent officeholder who does not endorse, donate to, or fundraise for any candidates.
“Everything in here is very nonpartisan,” he said of the guide. “Once in office, I’m completely independent. I’m out of politics.”
Under his plan, candidates would be invited to submit statements of about 150 words to appear alongside their photographs. Nonpartisan staff, Ballard said, would review those statements to ensure candidates focus on their own records and proposals, not on attacking opponents.
When asked how Indiana’s proposal compares to other jurisdictions, Ballard said some states and large cities have voter guides, but he argued none match the combination of precinct-level customization and mapping technology he is proposing.
Ballard closed by contrasting his focus on election administration and voter information with what he said is a lack of attention to the core duties of the Secretary of State’s office by his rivals.
“I find it fascinating that none of the candidates, other than me, are actually talking about the Secretary of State’s office,” he said. “We’re just going to do things like this.”
