INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve are encouraging people to get out and vote today.

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Both candidates have spent months preparing for the election.

“It was long, and it was hotly contested but we’re at election day and voters are voting and the winner will be declared tonight and I look forward to the results,” Hogsett said. “The early voting totals far exceeded what they were four years ago and because of the competitive nature of the mayor’s race, I think turnout will be higher this year than in the past.”

Election officials tell News 8 that Marion County is seeing a steady flow of voters. On Tuesday, Hogsett greeted voters at the Indianapolis Public Library’s branch in Nora.

He and Shreve are campaigning on issues like public safety, infrastructure, and affordable housing. Hogsett’s 2024 budget increased funding for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to $323 million to recruit more officers and raise their salaries.

Hogsett also wants to ban permitless carry and assault weapons in Indianapolis, which is something Shreve has agreed on though he is getting some pushback from his base.

Shreve said, “This is democracy and we have waged a really competitive mayoral campaign which we haven’t seen in a few cycles, competition is good. This is good for our city.”

Shreve cast his ballot in Perry Township early Tuesday morning. He told News 8 that he has encouraged everyone to vote for their city and not their party. “Taking on an incumbent is always tougher than an open election of course but people are hungry for change,” he said.

If elected, Shreve would be the first Republican to become mayor of Indianapolis since Greg Ballard won a second term in 2011. Hogsett is running for his third straight term.

Registered voters can cast their ballot at any polling location if they live in a “vote center county.”