A ReCenter Indiana billboard on display in Merrillville, in Northwest Indiana. Photo provided by ReCenter Indiana.

By Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — A series of billboards cropping up around Indiana is making an unusual call to Hoosier Democrats: vote Republican this May.

The crossover push is part of a media campaign by ReCenter Indiana, a bipartisan group that seeks to move state politics “closer to the center” and “bring more civility to political discussions,” according to its website.

Signs are already visible in Evansville and Merrillville. More are expected to go up in Indianapolis next week.

ReCenter Indiana’s political action committee will additionally sponsor video advertisements on Instagram and Facebook, emphasizing that Hoosiers — Democrat, Republican or otherwise — can “directly influence” who will be elected governor by taking a Republican ballot in the primary and “voting for a more moderate gubernatorial candidate.”

“Of course we should all vote in November,” said Don Knebel, a long-time attorney and the president of ReCenter Indiana. “But the May primary is the election that determines which Republican will be on the ballot in the fall. Judging from our state’s recent history, whoever that is will likely be our next governor.”

Unlike in some other states, Indiana’s primary elections are open, meaning registered voters — regardless of party affiliation — can request a Republican ballot when voting.

Voters should be aware, however, that pulling a party ballot in the primary could impact if you can run for office in the future. Indiana law requires a person’s two most recent primary votes match the party affiliation they wish to run under.

“It is unfortunate that Democrats in Indiana can’t win elections on the merit of their own policies so they have to resort to antics like this,” said Indiana Republican Party spokesperson Griffin Reid in a statement to the Capital Chronicle. “This is a reminder that Republicans should come out to vote in this year’s primary to ensure their voices are heard as we elect our party’s nominees.”

Still, Knebel emphasized in a news release on Tuesday that, “for nearly a generation, every Indiana governor has been a Republican.” Because of that, he said, one of the six candidates on the Republican primary ballot “is all but certain to be Indiana’s next governor.” Jennifer McCormick, the only gubernatorial candidate on the Democratic primary ballot, has already effectively secured her place on the November ballot.

But in recent years, “only the most committed partisans have been voting in Indiana primaries, and they tend to favor the most extreme candidates,” Knebel continued.

He pointed to 2020 — the last year when the governorship was on the ballot — when only 24% of registered voters voted in the primary. Although turnout improved to 65% in the general election that November, there was only one candidate per party to choose from.

In the last general election, in 2022, only 42% of registered Hoosiers cast ballots, putting Indiana last in the nation for voter turnout.

“Everyone’s vote is secret. The law says so,” Knebel said, reiterating that voters should choose the candidate “who most closely represents their values.”

“So, ReCenter Indiana believes it would be inappropriate for a primary voter to be questioned about how he or she has voted in the past or may choose to vote in the future,” he added.

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, Brad Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Eric Doden, former Attorney General Curtis Hill and Jamie Reitenour are each running to succeed term-limited Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Early voting begins Tuesday. The 2024 Indiana primary is May 7.