The image above was provided by the Indiana Debate Commission and taken by Doug McSchooler
Election Day is less than a month away, and early voting has already begun in Indiana, making the coming weeks crucial as candidates make their final cases to voters.
This is especially true for the Indiana Secretary of State race, which the Center for Politics has branded a true toss-up. All four candidates took part in a televised debate hosted by WFYI Indianapolis and the Indiana Debate Commission on Oct. 7, each hoping to court undecided voters.
One of the Secretary of State’s responsibilities is serving as the state’s chief election official. Republican Max Engling emphasized the importance of election security and ensuring that only American citizens vote in our elections.
“You have to know that your voice is being heard when you go to the ballot box, and I am the only candidate that is standing up for election integrity in this race,” Engling said. “You can look at the last debate. All three of the other candidates said they thought it was unduly burdensome to verify that you’re a U.S. citizen to be voting in our elections. That is the bare minimum of the job. If you’re unwilling to do that, you are unfit for this office.”
Democrat Beau Bayh said that while election fraud is unacceptable, very few cases of illegal voting occur in Indiana. Libertarian Lauri Shillings and Lincoln Party Candidate Greg Ballard highlighted the need for additional training for the state’s election officials to ensure proper oversight.
The candidates were also asked what actions they would take to increase voter participation, as Indiana routinely ranks towards the bottom nationally for voter turnout, according to the Indiana Civic Health Index. Ballard suggested producing a “voter’s guide” to help educate voters about what will be on their ballot, and Shillings advocated for making polling places more accessible to those with disabilities. Bayh said he believes removing straight-ticket voting would make our elections more competitive and motivate more Hoosiers to vote.
“We’re one of only six states in the country which has a straight-ticket voting system. What this means is that the first page on your ballot won’t have a list of names or offices on it. It’ll have political parties,” Bayh said. “…that reinforces some of the worst instincts of tribal politics. If we get rid of straight-ticket voting, we’ll have people succeeding because they’re the right person for the job, and then we also have more competitive elections, which increases the likelihood that folks will participate.”
While Engling did not share Bayh’s view on straight-ticket voting, he does believe that Indiana’s low voter turnout needs to be addressed. He maintains that educating high school students about our democratic processes and involving them at a young age would be the most effective way to increase participation.
The Indiana Secretary of State also plays a major role in business regulation and issues licenses to newly formed businesses. Engling said he believes the office should focus on providing Hoosier business owners with the resources they need to succeed, and Ballard said the office’s website needs to be more navigable. Shillings echoed Ballard’s point but also highlighted the need to eliminate unnecessary licensing burdens.
“I think it is a wonderful opportunity for people to start a business in Indiana. You’re trying to work on your dream. You want to improve your life and the life of those around you in your communities,” Shillings said. “I think one way we can do that in the Secretary of State’s office is to reduce unnecessary licensing burdens.”
Bayh said that business filing costs should be lowered, stating that there is no reason that Indiana “shouldn’t have the lowest business filing cost in the nation.” However, Bayh also said that the Secretary of State should be a “good faith partner” to prospective business owners, stating that the incumbent Secretary of State, Republican Diego Morales, had lost that trust by issuing “no-bid contracts” and acting in his own self-interest.
Morales’ actions remained a topic of discussion throughout the debate, with Bayh vowing to conduct an independent audit to root out any potential corruption. Shillings said she would advocate for policy changes that would help change the culture within the office. Engling emphasized that he was the only candidate to “actually do something” to address the issues in the office currently, as he ran against Morales at the Indiana State Republican Convention and replaced Morales on the ballot.
Ballard called for more than a standard audit, stating he had spoken with a law-enforcement official about the state of the office and plans to involve them in the audit process if elected, a step he believes is crucial to restoring public trust.
“We want to make sure that we get in there and clean that place up as quickly as we can to restore the trust in that office,” Ballard said. “People should be proud of their Secretary of State, and they should be proud of all their state officeholders. Clearly, that is not the case here.”
The candidates ended the debate by explaining why voters should support them. Shillings said she feels that the current political system is built to divide us and that she is committed to “working to make a better tomorrow” with Hoosiers. Ballard emphasized his desire to give independent voices ballot access through his newly formed Lincoln Party, saying, “we need to ensure that these elections are fair for everybody.”
Engling believes he is the most experienced candidate and reiterated that he is the only one “that’s committed to election integrity.” Bayh expressed his desire to fight against the division, fear and anger that currently dominate politics and believes his experience as a Marine Captain prepared him to be “the type of leader in the state house that tries to bring us together.”
To learn more about the candidates, read The Reflector’s election guide at reflector.uindy.edu/vote2026/.
