Judge orders counties to hold absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

A judge has ordered three counties to hold off mailing absentee ballots in an Indiana legislative primary where President Donald Trump has endorsed a challenger to Republican Sen. Greg Goode.

At issue is a dispute over whether one of two women with the last name Wilson who filed to run against Goode in the primary should be removed from the primary ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction.

Clay County Circuit Court Judge David Thomas issued an order Wednesday directing the county clerks in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties to “immediately cease sending, mailing, or otherwise distributing absentee ballots” involving the Republican Senate District 38 race.

Under state law, county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on Monday ahead of the May 5 primary.

Thomas did not rule on arguments that candidate Alexandra Wilson should be taken off the ballot because of a state law prohibiting someone convicted of a felony crime from holding elected office.

There is also still a pending motion to change judges.

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney argued before the Indiana Election Commission last month that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor.

The dispute has gained attention because of its possible impact on the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County Council member who has Trump’s endorsement against Goode following the senator’s December vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.

The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot.

Prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun and is supporting Brenda Wilson, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson.

Bopp calls her candidacy a ballot “trick” by local Republicans to help Goode survive the primary by taking votes away from Brenda Wilson.

Vigo County Republican Party Chair Randy Gentry, who certified Alexandra Wilson for a GOP candidacy, has denied Bopp’s accusation of ballot manipulation.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com