George Hornedo and Cindy Simon Skjodt: A better democracy for Indiana and America

Our democracy is one of the pillars that makes our country great, but in recent years, voter suppression, partisan gerrymandering, unchecked corporate influence and a skewed judiciary have done serious damage to our great institution. It’s time to rebuild a better democracy that genuinely reflects the people’s will.

And that work starts at the ballot box. Indiana currently ranks 50th in voter turnout across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This is an abject failure, one caused by deliberate policies that make it harder for Hoosiers to vote.

Indiana is the most restrictive state on poll closing times and voter registration deadlines. Indiana polls close at 6 p.m., making it difficult for working people to cast their ballots. Additionally, Indiana closes voter registration 29 days before Election Day. These barriers aren’t mere inconveniences; they suppress voter participation and silence communities—especially Black and Hispanic voters.

To protect our democracy, we have to fight to expand voting rights. We need same-day voter registration, extended early-voting hours, and safeguards against voter roll purges. Democracy thrives when everyone makes their voice heard, and our state works best when every Hoosier has a fair chance to participate in the political process.

That is true at the ballot box, and it is true when it comes to the district lines that guide our elections. The cancer of gerrymandering means politicians choose their voters rather than the other way around. Indiana is not 70% or 80% Republican, but the makeup of our state House and state Senate, respectively, are. Seven out of nine congressional districts are safely Republican despite our diverse electorate. Our representation reflects not voter preference but partisan gerrymandering—a manipulation of district boundaries to protect incumbents.

Gerrymandering stifles competition, breeds complacency and prevents progress. Indiana earned a dismal “D” grade for its “secretive and partisan” redistricting process, and we cannot afford to let this continue. We need to replace that process with independent redistricting commissions that remove the power of drawing districts from the hands of self-interested politicians. The marketplace of ideas—and our democracy—depends on competition.

But increased voting and representative districts alone won’t fix our democracy—it requires institutional reform. Establishing 18-year term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court would help break the cycle of career politicians and bring fresh perspectives. Our democracy thrives on new ideas, and term limits would ensure a regular influx of them.

And then there’s addressing the politicization of our justice system. The recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity threatens to push us toward authoritarianism. We must limit presidential power, restore the DOJ’s independence, and reinforce the checks and balances safeguarding our democracy—including creating an enforceable ethics code for the Supreme Court. No one should be above the law.

It’s time to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., and to allow Puerto Rico to determine its status—ensuring that no American is a second-class citizen. Millions of Americans living without voting representation in Congress is a stain on our democracy. Expanding the union is necessary for a more inclusive and representative America.

Our democracy is fragile but not beyond repair. By protecting voting rights, ending gerrymandering, expanding representation and reforming our institutions, we can build a better democracy that reflects the people’s will and ensures a fair and just society for all. The work begins now, and it’s a fight we cannot afford to lose.•

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Hornedo is an attorney, national political strategist and the founder of Next Gen Hoosiers. Simon Skjodt is a longtime community leader and philanthropist. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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