By Sheryl Swingley—
MUNCIE, IN—The League of Women Voters of Indiana has published a “Citizens Handbook” to help citizens be better informed about their rights and responsibilities in the United States.
The free handbook is available online – in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Copies of the handbook also are available from all Muncie Public Library branches.
“Indiana’s voter turnout is concerning and is a major reason for the development of the handbook,” said Linda Hanson, president of the Indiana League of Women Voters and spokesperson for the Muncie-Delaware County League. “We want to use the handbook to expand civic participation and safeguard voting rights because Indiana’s voter turnout rate has consistently fallen since the 1980s. Indiana’s current rank for voter turnout is now at 50th among U.S. states, a fall from the rank of 43rd in 2018.”
Indiana’s declining voter participation is cited in the 2023 Indiana Civic Health Index.
The “Citizens Handbook” was developed with the support of a “Making Democracy Work” grant from the League of Women Voters Education Fund and completed in 2024.
“Serendipitously, the American Library Association and the U.S. League of Women Voters joined forces in 2024 to educate and empower voters, making for a powerful combination,” Hanson said. “Both organizations have a history of working together to serve their communities through education, outreach and civic engagement,”
The deadline to register to vote this election season is Monday, Oct. 7. Citizens can check to see if they are registered at VOTE411.org. If citizens are not registered to vote, they also can register to vote at VOTE411.org.
Authors of the handbook are Darren Wheeler, a professor of political science at Ball State University, and Stacy Wheeler, who has done work with the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State and the Indiana Secretary of State’s Voting System Technical Oversight Program.
Categories in the handbook include information about the U.S. Constitution; the three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial; lawmaking and how bills become law; presidential powers; participating in state government; participating in local government; voting; voting rights; and 10 ways to participate in politics and make a difference.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots, public policy and educational organization. It encourages informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. It does not support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund and local Leagues work to register and inform voters through the election resources of VOTE411.org and candidate forums.
People of all different governing beliefs are eligible to join local chapters of the League of Women Voters. No invitation is needed. To join the Muncie-Delaware County League, go to this site.
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