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Dear League Members,

October promises to be exceptionally busy leading upto this critical midterm election. This is the first of two newsletters you will receive this month with informationpertinent to our efforts to get out the vote and ensure that voters have the information they need to make their voices heard. Two of our advocacy teams report in this newsletter.

What you can do immediately:

• Remind friends, family, and others in groups with which you have contact to check their voter registration (or register!) by 11:59pm on Monday, October 5--either atIndianavoters.comorVOTE411.org

• VOTE EARLY!
  • Apply for an absentee ballot immediately if you qualify. Ballots are currently being mailed to those who have already applied. And return your ballot to ensure it is in the office of your county clerk before 6 pm on election day, November 3.
  • Earlyvoting in person begins October 6. SeeVOTE411.orgfor your dates and locations.

You can also join our Election Protection efforts and encourage others to do so!

We're all in this together, for democracy.

Linda

VOTERS NEED YOUR HELP

The League of Women Voters of Indiana is working with Common Cause Indiana and the Chicago Lawyers for Civil Rights to place thousands of volunteers on the ground for the mid-term elections as part of the Election Protection Project.We want every voter to know they can get help from the866-OUR-VOTE hotline.The Election Protection Project is a crucial line of defense for voters against suppression tactics, confusing laws, outdated infrastructure, and other hurdles to casting a ballot. Above all, we are working to inform voters of their rights, help elections officials handle problems in real time, and notify our teams of attorneys when legal intervention is needed.

We do all this with three types of volunteers.

1. Voter Advocates: We place trained voter advocates at polling places, especially in communities with a history of voting problems or where hotly contested races increase the chance of long lines, confusion, and other complications. These volunteers work to answer questions, provide information about voting rights, troubleshoot problems, and refer voters to the 866 OUR VOTE hotline.
2. Roving Poll Monitors: These volunteers will be assigned three to four polling places to move between on Election Day. They act as observers and will fill out tally sheets to flag any issues that could impede voter access and report any immediate concerns to the Command Center Advocates.
3. Sign Placement Coordinators: These volunteers place signs at various polling places both for early voting and on Election Day.

If you would like to get involved in our work to protect Hoosier voters, please visitprotectthevote.netto sign up. Thank you for all you do!

DATA CENTERS?

What should the League say about data centers?We LWVIN Natural Resources Co-Chairs want to share with all of you an expanded version of the response to that question that went out recently to our NR distribution list. The LWVUS’s Impact on Issues 2024-26 has this excellent environmentally pertinent guidance:

• Beneficiaries should pay the costs for water, land, and energy development projects. Reclamation and reuse of natural resources should be encouraged.
• The League supports…predominant reliance on renewable (energy) resources.
• The League supports water resource programs and policies that reflect the interrelationships of water quality, water quantity, groundwater, and surface water and that address the potential depletion or pollution of water supplies.

Data Centers are expanding throughout the entire state, with approximately 60 large hyperscale data centers proposed over the last few years and some already under construction.According to a recent Citizens Action Coalition webinar (https://www.citact.org/ai-data-centers), there will be a73% increase in statewide electricity consumption by 2032 due to data centers. They’ve become a hot-button political issue for all kinds of reasons, especially environmental: energy consumption (and consumers’ power bills); water consumption; land use and location; air, water, light, and noise pollution; and various unknowns (e.g. electromagnetic waves) with both negative and positive community impact.

GoHEREto read this entire article.

If you have questions or comments, or would like to receive our NR updates, contact us at lwvinnrteam@gmail.com. Thanks from your NR Co-Chairs Cheryl Chapman, Susie Wilder, and Liz Solbergas we say heartfelt thanks and bid a fond farewell to Co-Chair Kristina Lindborg, who is moving to California.

INDIANA AND FEDERAL MEDICAID CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACTS

The LWVIN Women’s Health Advocates are tracking Medicaid changes. As of mid-2026, total Indiana Medicaid enrollment was at about1,500,000 individuals.According to the IN Family and Social Services Association (FSSA), the core program divisions look like this:

1. Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP)

• Estimated Enrollment:495,000 to 520,000 members
• Details:This program covers non-disabled adults between the ages of 19 and 64.This population is preparing for new work and community engagement requirements beginning in 2027.

2. Hoosier Healthwise

• Estimated Enrollment:510,000 to 535,000 members
• Details:This serves low-income children up to age 19 and pregnant women.However, data from mid-2026 shows that more than 174,000 Hoosier children were removed from the state's Medicaid rolls due to stricter documentation and mail-in verification rules.

3. Indiana PathWays for Aging

• Estimated Enrollment:115,000 to 130,000 members
• Details:This covers those aged 60 and older who require long-term services, support, or nursing home alternatives.

4. Hoosier Care Connect

• Estimated Enrollment:85,000 to 95,000 members
• Details:This serves blind or disabled individuals age 59 and younger who are not residing in a long-term care institution or receiving separate home-and-community-based waiver services.

5. Traditional Medicaid & Dual Eligibility

• Estimated Enrollment:240,000 to 260,000 members
• Details:This acts as the fallback system for specific groups.

HIP is going to see the biggest changes in fall of 2026 and in 2027.There are sweeping, state-mandated changes that will make it difficult for members to qualify for and maintain their health coverage.

To read all the challenging details goHEREand to see our supporting documentation goHERE.

Pam Locker prepared this Update with Joanne Evers’ assistance.

Our Women’s Health Advocates are Pam Locker, Joanne Evers, Betsy Kachmar, Cathy Rountree, Chelsea Thomas, Patricia Perry, Kathy Peck, and Pam Raider.