Three candidates targeted in Republican ballot challenges ahead of primary

David Penticuff, Muncie Star Press
·2 min read

MUNCIE, Ind. — A few candidates in the 2024 Republican primary will have to overcome their first challenges of the election season next Thursday.

The period in which a challenge can be issued to a candidacy for failure to meet election rules expired Friday afternoon and three candidates had challenges filed against them by the deadline.

The Delaware County Election Board will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, on the second floor of the county building to consider the challenges.

David Williams, himself a Republican candidate for a county council at-large seat, filed a challenge to County Economic Development Director Brad Bookout's bid for county council at-large, Delaware County Clerk Rick Spangler said.

Voters cast their ballots four years ago. Challenges have been filed against three candidates on the Republican primary ballot for the May primary based on filing paperwork issues.
Voters cast their ballots four years ago. Challenges have been filed against three candidates on the Republican primary ballot for the May primary based on filing paperwork issues.

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Also challenging Bookout's candidacy was local podcaster Kristopher Bilbrey. The issues in the challenges dealt with the notarization of Bookout's filing paperwork.

Bilbrey also challenged the re-election candidacy of County Commissioner Sherry Riggin because of a paperwork error, according to Spangler. The issue with her paperwork was that the clerk's office failed to stamp the exact date and time of the filing.

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Williams also filed a challenge against the Republican County Chairman and Delaware County Auditor Ed Carroll, who is on the Republican ballot running for a GOP precinct committeeman spot. Spangler said Carroll's paperwork failed to note Delaware County on one line, but it did include the county name elsewhere.

In last year's municipal election, challenges to Republicans ahead of the primary had a profound impact on the Muncie election as two sitting city council members were removed from the ballot because of paperwork errors.

More: Ingram sues election board after being removed from ballot

The election board, consisting of Spangler, Republican representative Peter Drumm and Democrat representative Ashley Nichols, will weigh the validity of challenges in their public meeting Thursday.

David Penticuff is a reporter with The Star Press. He can be contacted at dpenticuff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Delaware County Election board to consider challenges Thursday