Several would-be Democrat committeemen axed from Delaware County ballot
MUNCIE, Ind. — In the end, most of the challenges to Democrat precinct committeeman candidates were withdrawn but seven of candidates were removed from the primary ballot Monday for failing to fill out their candidate applications correctly.
"By my count, nine people were still allowed," said Jason Donati, who said challenges by Democrat County Chairman Ana Quirk Hunter were targeted at precinct committeemen candidates recruited by the New Democratic Coalition of Delaware County.
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But nine challenges were withdrawn by Hunter, who said after the hearing before the Delaware County Election Board that she did work with some to get their ballot paperwork fixed in time
Hunter said she ran out of time connecting with all the candidates and reviewing paperwork. But she said she reviewed as many as she could.
"It's part of what a county chairman does," she said.
Donati, a member of the coalition, said the effort to remove so many coalition candidates amounted to "candidate suppression."
Coalition members say they are trying modernize the county party and bring in more progressive groups within the community.
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Seven of the challenges were upheld by the Election Board, consisting of Republican Pete Drumm, Democrat Ashley Nichols and sitting Delaware County Clerk Rick Spangler. All of their votes were unanimous.
In some cases, candidates had failed to sign the ballot properly.
One candidate had moved within the precinct and her ballot application did not match her new address. Another candidate, Jessie Landess, submitted a ballot application and had not filled in the line asking for the name of the county. The document itself has the county name written across the top. He was removed from the ballot.
"It's a real shame," Landess told the board. "All I wanted to do was represent the people in Delaware County."
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Andrew Dale, whose bid for committeeman was first challenged because of a wrong date, a challenge that was then withdrawn after it was determined the error came from the clerk's office, showed a list of more than 10 other Democrat precinct committeeman candidates who he said had errors similar to those that caused others to be thrown off the ballot. None of those on his list were challenged by Hunter.
"Why didn't she challenge them?" he asked. "I think if a party chair puts in a challenge they (should) certify they've looked at all candidate filings. It's the only way to demonstrate consistency and being non-biased."
The seven who were taken off the ballot were Landess, Molly Catherine Robinson, Gretchen Binney, Carol Bradshaw, Heather Williams, Jayne Beilke and Rebecca "Beckie" Adams.
Hunter agreed to withdraw her challenge to four candidates who had failed to write "same" on the ballot application if their voting and mailing address were the same.
If the removal of the candidate leaves an open precinct committeeman seat, Hunter will be able to appoint someone to fill the post after the election, according to Indiana election rules.
Spangler said that some people approach filling out these forms like it's an unimportant formality. But it is important, he said, and it helps the clerk's office do their job.
The election board also has upheld two challenges made by GOP Chairman Victor Whitehead. One challenge took Brandy Webb, Republican candidate for county recorder, off the ballot. Whitehead contended she had not voted as a Republican in the two most recent primary elections in which she participated.
Also removed was Christopher Baty, who tried to run for Hamilton Township Trustee as a Democrat. He was removed from the ballot on the grounds Baty had not been an active voter in the township long enough to run for trustee.
Four people, none county chairmen, had also asked in writing that Shane Weatherly be removed from the ballot as a candidate for Democrat precinct committeeman. Election board members read letters of complaint about Weatherly and all agreed there was nothing in the complaints that amounted to a legal reason for the board to remove him.
David Penticuff is the local government reporter at the Star Press. Contact him at dpenticuff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Challenges withdrawn, Democrat precinct candidates removed from ballot
