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Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita Announces First 2009 Meeting of the Vote Indiana Team

Contact: Jim Gavin
317-233-8655
Media@sos.in.gov

Diverse group tasked with updating Indiana's state election plan will reconvene Friday; Meeting is open to the public and accessible via Webcast

(Indianapolis) – Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita will preside over the first in a series of 2009 meetings of the Vote Indiana Team (VIT) this Friday, March 27, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. The group of government and community leaders is being reconvened to evaluate and update Indiana's State Plan to Implement the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (State Plan). Vote Indiana Team meetings are open to the public and accessible online via a Web cast found at www.in.gov/sos.

Originally written in 2003 to serve as a blueprint for Indiana's implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), the State Plan is drafted and updated by a tri-partisan team formed to represent a wide range of stakeholder groups. The team includes state and county election administrators, representatives of racial and ethnic minority communities, persons with disabilities, the state Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican parties, state legislators, the Governor's office, the military, labor unions, students and the media.

"While we have already experienced tremendous reform in our elections in Indiana in recent years, the most since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it is important to continue to evaluate our process to make sure it is as fair and accurate as possible," said Secretary Rokita. "Bringing this diverse, tri-partisan team to the table to conduct a comprehensive evaluation will ensure our State Plan is up-to-date and that Indiana continues to have best-in-class elections. I urge Hoosiers to participate in this process by attending the meeting or watching it online, and to provide feedback on our election process."

 Event:Vote Indiana Team meeting
 When:Friday, March 27, 2009, 1:30 p.m.
 Where:Indiana Government Center Conference Center
  Room C (402 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis)

At this week's initial 2009 meeting, the Vote Indiana Team will hear updates on the state's implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 including its impact on recent elections.

Members of the Vote Indiana Team for 2009 are:

 Hon. Todd RokitaIndiana Secretary of State (Chair)
 Rep. Kreg BattlesIndiana House of Representatives
 Tonee BellAfrican-American community representative
 Amos BrownAfrican-American community and media representative
 Dee Ann HartRepresentative of persons with disabilities
 Eric HolcombOffice of the Governor
 Kathy HopfDubois Circuit Court Clerk
 J. Bradley KingCo-Director, Indiana Election Division
 Sen. Sue LandskeIndiana State Senate
 Sally LaSotaLake County Election Board member
 Sen. Frank MrvanIndiana State Senate
 Kevin OberIndiana Republican Party representative
 Linda PhillipsTippecanoe Circuit Court Clerk
 Pamela PotestaCo-Director, Indiana Election Division
 Rep. Kathy RichardsonIndiana House of Representatives
 John RudesillSpencer County Elections Director
 Tony SantanaHispanic community representative
 Evan Shearin (US Navy, Reserve)Military representative
 Kaylee ShowersStudent representative
 John SorensonLabor representative
 Chris SpangleIndiana Libertarian Party representative
 Cindy SpenceHendricks Circuit Court Clerk
 TBDAssociation of Indiana Counties
 Jennifer WagnerIndiana Democratic Party representative
 Beth WhiteMarion County Circuit Court Clerk

In addition to hosting Friday's Web cast, the Secretary of State's Web site, www.in.gov/sos, will provide up-to-date information on progress of the Vote Indiana Team through the spring.

Anyone interested in submitting a question to the Vote Indiana Team may do so by e-mailing mailto:havaadministrator@sos.IN.gov?subject=Vote%20Indiana%20Team%20Question.

Subsequent meetings are currently scheduled as follows:

  • April 3, 2009; 1:30 p.m.
  • April 17, 2009; 1:30 p.m.
  • April 24, 2009; 1:30 p.m. (tentative, if necessary)
  • May 8, 2009; 2:30 p.m. (tentative, if necessary)
  • May 29, 2009; 1:30 p.m.

Media Contact: Jim Gavin: 317.233.8655 or media@sos.in.gov.

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