Madvoters Indiana is an advocacy organization that supports Democratic Party candidates and left-of-center policies on issues such as abortion, gun control, health care, education, energy and the environment, economics, immigration, labor organizing, LGBT interests, and election security in Indiana. ^{1 2}

It was founded in 2023 as Madvoters Inc, an Indiana nonprofit corporation. ³ In 2025, it received 501(c)(4) nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service. ⁴

In a 2024 interview with the Ball State University student newspaper, Madvoters Indiana co-founder Chelsea McDonnel blamed insufficient sex education in Indiana public schools for her teenage pregnancy, which led to her decision to become involved in left-of-center advocacy and co-found the organization. ⁵

Advocacy

Election Endorsements

Madvoters Indiana endorses “Madvoters Verified Politicians” who have filled out its survey and undergone a background check. ⁶ The group has previously supported the campaigns of Democratic Party-linked candidates. ⁶

In 2024, it endorsed 11 candidates for roles including U.S. Congress, state Senate and House of Representatives, county coroner, county council, and township board. ⁶

Madvoters Indiana also operates a candidate recruitment program that recruits and trains prospective liberal candidates for state and municipal offices, as well as local school boards. ⁷

2024 Indiana Supreme Court Election

In 2024, Madvoters Indiana took on a high-profile role in targeting Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush and Justices Mark S. Massa and Derek Molter for their roles in a 4 to 1 decision upholding the state’s abortion-restriction law. ⁸

The three justices had been selected by the state’s judicial commission through a merit-based process and appointed by Governors Mitch Daniels (R-IN) and Eric Holcomb (R-IN).  Under Indiana law, judges face retention elections after their first two years in office, and then every 10 years thereafter. They are not allowed to campaign or fundraise, unless there is “organized opposition” to their retention. ⁸

To avoid this trigger, Madvoters Indiana structured its campaign against the judges as an education campaign, saying that it was “not advocating for or against retention.” ⁹ However, its advocacy was clearly opposed to the justices’ retention, and included social media posts calling the justices “responsible in part for Indiana’s abortion ban” and telling voters “We can hold them accountable for their decisions at the ballot box.” ⁸

All three justices won their retention elections by more than a 69 percent to 31 percent margin. ¹⁰

Period Action Day

In January 2024, Madvoters Indiana organized a grassroots lobbying “Period Action Day” at the Indiana Capitol to support legislation to eliminate sales taxes on tampons and other feminine hygiene products. It encouraged women to send sales receipts from purchases of feminine hygiene products to the Indiana Department of Revenue and request sales tax “refunds.” ¹¹

Other organizations involved in the event included the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, Women4Change, Love HER League, the All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center, and Period Law. ¹¹

Christian Nationalism

Madvoters Indiana’s guide to “Indiana Civics 101” claims that Indiana is under the control of “Christian Nationalist” politicians who are “fueled by white supremacy,” “embrace the rule of Christian religion over government and law,” and “believe that women should be submissive to men.” ¹²

Its explanation of “What is Christian Nationalism,” the group argues that “From the KKK and Nazi Germany, to MAGA Republicans and Project 2025, extremists have embraced Christian Nationalism in their quest for power.” ¹²

1. “Issues.” MADVoters. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.madvoters.org/issues.
2. “Bill Tracker.” MADVoters. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.madvoters.org/bill-tracker.
3. “Business Search Results for Business ID #202304011678858.” Indiana Secretary of State. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch#.
4. Martin, Stephen A. “Letter 948-E (7-2013).” Internal Revenue Service, January 6, 2025. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/dl/FinalLetter_92-3381248_MADVOTERSINC_06062024_00.pdf.
5. Velez, Jessica. “Let’s Talk about Sex: Discussions of Sex, or Lack Thereof, in Indiana Schools Are Leaving Students Frustrated.” Ball State Daily, June 20, 2024. https://www.ballstatedaily.com/article/2024/06/lets-talk-about-sex-discussions-of-sex-or-lack-thereof-in-indiana-schools-are-leaving-students-frustrated.
6. “Your Candidates.” MADVoters. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.madvoters.org/your-candidates.
7. “Candidate Resources.” MADVoters. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.madvoters.org/candidate-resources.
8. Colombo, Hayleigh. “Will Voters Oust Indiana Supreme Court Justices over Abortion Decision on Election Day?” The Indianapolis Star, October 21, 2024. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/21/will-voters-oust-indiana-supreme-court-justices-over-abortion-decision/75701723007/.
9. “Retention Vote Sparks Effort to Hold Justices Accountable for Abortion Ban.” Indiana Citizen, October 14, 2024. https://mirrorindy.org/retention-vote-sparks-effort-to-hold-justices-accountable-for-abortion-ban/.
10. “Indiana Supreme Court Elections, 2024.” Ballotpedia. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_Supreme_Court_elections,_2024.
11. Odendahl, Marilyn. “Seeking Change: Events like Period Action Day Highlight Different Paths for Advocacy at Indiana Statehouse.” THE INDIANA CITIZEN, October 20, 2023. https://indianacitizen.org/seeking-change-events-like-period-action-day-highlight-different-paths-for-advocacy-at-indiana-statehouse/
12. “Time’s Up: Exploring Indiana Civics 101.” Madvoters Indiana. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGBpV4NPQc/5flDnoYc7gz-tWAstdcI8Q/view?utm_content=DAGBpV4NPQc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=UNAVAILABLE.