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Can you vote with a felony in Indiana?

The short answer

After prison.

In Indiana, people lose the right to vote only while in prison for a felony. It comes back on release, including on parole or probation. Some other convictions can affect it too; the details are below.

In Indiana, a person who is imprisoned after being convicted of a crime cannot register or vote while imprisoned. Once no longer imprisoned, the person may register again, including while on probation, parole, home detention or in certain community corrections programs, but a cancelled registration is not restored automatically. People in jail awaiting trial remain eligible to register and vote.1,3

Checked October 22, 2026 against 4 sources, starting with Indiana law, then by a second reader.

  1. In prison for a felonyCan't vote1,3,4
  2. On paroleCan vote1,3
  3. On probationCan vote1,3
  4. Sentence completeCan vote after registering again1,2,3
Check with Indiana's election office

Before you register

Your state or county election office can confirm your own status, for free. Voting while ineligible can carry criminal penalties, so if anything about your case is unclear, ask them first. The general election is November 3, 2026; registration deadlines are on vote.gov.

How the right comes back

Automatically

IC 3-7-13-4 says a person who is convicted of a crime and imprisoned following conviction is deprived of the right of suffrage and is ineligible to register while imprisoned or otherwise subject to lawful detention. Under IC 3-7-13-5 the person becomes eligible to register when no longer imprisoned or otherwise subject to lawful detention, and IC 3-7-13-6 says a person who is not imprisoned or detained and is on probation, on parole, on home detention or in a community corrections program is eligible to register and to vote. County voter registration offices remove disfranchised voters from the list (IC 3-7-46-1), and the Indiana Election Division's 2026 Voter Registration Guidebook says a disenfranchised voter's registration 'is not automatically restored in Indiana,' so the person submits a new registration; the guidebook says a person whose registration was cancelled for imprisonment may register again as soon as they are released, provided it is during an open registration period.1,2,3

Fines, fees and restitution

Not required

IC 3-7-13-4 through 3-7-13-6 and the Election Division's guidebook tie eligibility only to current imprisonment or lawful detention after conviction; none makes registration depend on paying fines, fees or restitution.1,3

Registering again

Yes

Once the right is back, Indiana requires a new voter registration before voting.2,3

Misdemeanors and jail

The rule applies to imprisonment after conviction of 'a crime' (IC 3-7-13-4; IC 3-7-46-2); neither the statute nor the guidebook distinguishes misdemeanors from felonies. The guidebook says people sentenced solely to time served, probation, parole, home detention or certain community corrections programs should not have their registration cancelled.1,2,3

The guidebook says a person in jail awaiting trial, or not currently serving a sentence after conviction, should not be cancelled and remains eligible to register and vote (IC 3-7-13-5; IC 3-7-13-6).3

Convictions from another state or federal court

IC 3-7-46-3 and 3-7-46-3.5 have the county voter registration office remove an Indiana resident from the voter rolls when a United States attorney reports a federal felony conviction, or another state's corrections department reports that the resident is imprisoned there for a crime, if the person is currently imprisoned following the conviction (IC 3-7-46-2).2,3

The law

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This page explains Indiana's general rules from its law and election office. It isn't legal advice, and a case can turn on the details of a sentence. The election office can confirm your status.

Spot something out of date? Tell us at contact@secondchanceindex.com.

Cite this page

Second Chance Index, "Can you vote with a felony in Indiana?" https://secondchanceindex.com/voting-rights/indiana, checked October 22, 2026.

Sources

Each source was opened and checked on October 22, 2026.

  1. IC 3-7-13-4
  2. IC 3-7-46-1, -2, -3 and -3.5
  3. 2026 Indiana Voter Registration Guidebook (revised April 2026)Indiana Election Division
  4. Voter Information: Voter RegistrationIndiana Election Division