IN HB1517

Voters residing in a municipality's buffer zone are entitled to vote for that municipality's elected officials unless the municipality adopts an ordinance surrendering its zoning jurisdiction in the buffer zone.

Buffer zone is defined as unincorporated areas a municipality may include in its comprehensive plan under IC 36-7-4-205 or territory outside municipal boundaries that may be included in a joint district under IC 36-7-5.1-5.

Buffer zone voters may vote by absentee ballot if the county has established vote centers, or must vote by absentee ballot if vote centers have not been established.

Buffer zone voters are prohibited from holding local office in the municipality, per Indiana Constitution Article 6, Section 6.

County election boards must count municipal absentee ballots cast by buffer zone voters using central location procedures under IC 3-11.5, separate from regular precinct procedures.

Precinct boundaries may not cross buffer zone boundaries, and precinct establishment orders affecting buffer zones cannot become effective between February 1 and the day after municipal elections.