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 Rokita | Indiana Secretary of State (Chair) | |
Rep. Kreg Battles | Indiana House of Representatives | |
Tonee Bell | African-American community representative | |
Amos Brown | African-American community and media representative | |
Dee Ann Hart | Representative of persons with disabilities | |
Eric Holcomb | Office of the Governor | |
Kathy Hopf | Dubois Circuit Court Clerk | |
J. Bradley King | Co-Director, Indiana Election Division | |
Sen. Sue Landske | Indiana State Senate | |
Sally LaSota | Lake County Election Board member | |
Sen. Frank Mrvan | Indiana State Senate | |
Kevin Ober | Indiana Republican Party representative | |
Linda Phillips | Tippecanoe Circuit Court Clerk | |
Pamela Potesta | Co-Director, Indiana Election Division | |
Rep. Kathy Richardson | Indiana House of Representatives | |
John Rudesill | Spencer County Elections Director | |
Tony Santana | Hispanic community representative | |
Evan Shearin (US Navy, Reserve) | Military representative | |
Kaylee Showers | Student representative | |
John Sorenson | Labor representative | |
Chris Spangle | Indiana Libertarian Party representative | |
Cindy Spence | Hendricks Circuit Court Clerk | |
TBD | Association of Indiana Counties | |
Jennifer Wagner | Indiana Democratic Party representative | |
Beth White | Marion 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.
###