Indiana to work toward a cleaner voter registration list
Hoosier voters are beginning to receive postcards in the mail from the Secretary of State’s office. The office is mailing these postcards as part of a statewide voter list refresh. The goal is to identify outdated and inaccurate voter registration information to improve the accuracy and integrity of Indiana’s voter registration list. Postcards that are returned to the office as undeliverable will be used to identify outdated voter registration information. If the first mailing is returned as undeliverable, a second postcard will be sent to the forwarding address on file with the U.S. Postal Service. The second postcard will ask the voter to confirm or update their residence address or cancel their Indiana voter registration using a postage pre-paid voter response card. Hoosiers should use the postcard as a reminder to verify, update or start a voter registration online at www.indianavoters.com. Voters may also visit their local county clerk’s office. Voters who need assistance can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at 866-IN-1-VOTE.
Indiana will not offer financial incentives for those who receive Covid Vaccination
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has stated that he will not approve of monetary incentives for those to receive a Covid-19 Vaccination. Neighboring state, Ohio, has recently announced a million-dollar lottery system for those who are vaccinated, and will also provide college scholarships to those under 18 who get the vaccine. Holcomb has not addressed whether or not his decision has been partially based on potential future law suits on the matter.
Alexandra’s Army launches website to recruit youth volunteers
Alexandra’s Army, a Bloomington-based organization which is run by area youth, seeks kids interested in joining the fight against local hunger! Alexandra’s Army was founded in 2020 by a Bloomington 3rd grade student in response to a growing need of the Hoosier Hills Food Bank for summertime donations of non-perishable food. The group is looking to recruit 100 kids in Monroe County to register for the event, conduct their own neighborhood food drive the second week of June, and deliver the collected food to a central drop-off location on Saturday, June 19th.
Alexandra’s Army is hoping to break the record for the largest regional food drive ever!
“Kids can make a difference,” says Founder and organization President, Alexandra Daley. “If we all help just a little, we can make sure that families in Monroe County won’t have to worry about having enough food,” she added.
Daley has been conducting an annual neighborhood food drive for the past 5 years, and has improved her technique and total production each and every year since. In 2020, she collected 374 pounds of food from her generous neighbors. The staff at Hoosier Hills Food Bank saw the increased potential and encouraged her to grow her efforts; she met the challenge head on by starting a group which would solicit others to do the same in a uniform manner.
Interested kids can visit www.AlexandrasArmy.org with the help of their parents. The next steps include clicking the Join Army link, creating a log-in account, watching the 4-minute training video, and completing the registration form.
Participants will all receive an Alexandra’s Army T-shirt to wear when they knock on doors in their neighborhood so the community knows that they are part of the united efforts of our youth to help end hunger. Participants will also receive a coupon for a free ice cream from The Chocolate Moose, and additional awards will be issued to the top food collectors.
There are still opportunities for local businesses to join the Army as a community partner. Current partners include: Senator Shelli Yoder, John Bethel Title Company, The South Central Indiana News Network, Socially Up, Chocolate Moose, The Porthole Inn at Lake Lemon, Studio Loupe, In Case of Emergency Press, Weathervane insurance Solutions, The Sinkhole, and Hoosier Hills Food Bank.