Most of the
candidates in Duneland’s 2019 local elections are currently unopposed--but
they may not be safe for long.
Per Indiana Code,
Michael Simpson and Jeffrey Chidester, Porter County’s respective Republican
and Democrat party chairs, have until June 30 to directly appoint candidates
to fill ballot vacancies in local races.
Libertarian ballot
vacancies are filled by town conventions hosted by the state Libertarian
committee, and have the same deadline, according to the 2019 Indiana
Candidate Guide.
Simpson told the
Chesterton Tribune he’s looking for Republican candidates to fill
vacancies in Duneland town council races. Two Democrats are running
unopposed for Chesterton Town Council and could face a challenger appointed
by Simpson--former council member Sharon Darnell, who’s filed to reclaim the
fourth ward Council seat, and newcomer vying for the third ward seat, Robert
Allison.
“We’ve been
searching for candidates since filing ended,” Simpson said. “Now, we’re
going through the lists we’ve developed.”
Simpson said any
Porter County Republicans interested in being appointed to fill a ballot
vacancy should email him at michael.pcgop@gmail.com by June 10.
Simpson will speak
to interested people in person to be sure they understand the ins and outs
of a campaign. “We’re always looking for people to be engaged and involved,”
Simpson said.
Simpson’s also
looking for challengers for all but one of Porter’s Town Council seats.
Currently no one is opposed, and incumbent Brian Finley (R-5th) is the lone
Republican on the Council.
Chidester did not
respond to a request for comment, but he has previously told the
Chesterton Tribune that citizens interested in filling ballot vacancies
should call him at (219)712-8081.
Chidester may be
looking for Democrats to pit against Finley and against Jim Ton (R-1st),
Emerson Delaney, (R-5th), and Lloyd Kittredge (R-2nd) on the Chesterton Town
Council.
Residents in
Beverly Shores and Dune Acres can also still get involved. As of the Feb. 8
filing deadline for major party candidates, only four candidates, all
Democrats, had filed to compete for five at-large seats on the Beverly
Shores Town Council. Candidates for Town Council and Clerk-treasurer in Dune
Acres run as Independents, and are not required to file for candidacy until
July.
Clerk-treasurers
Carol Pomeroy (R) in Porter, Jane Jordan (D) in Burns Harbor, and Ellen
Hundt (D) in Beverly Shores are also running unopposed.
The playing field
is fairly even in Burns Harbor, with three Republican and three Democrat
candidates--four incumbents and two challengers--vying for five at-large
Town Council seats.
To be eligible to
fill a ballot vacancy, citizens must meet the requirements to run for office
in the State of Indiana and all requirements specific to the office sought.
A resident of Chesterton or Porter wishing to fill a ballot vacancy for Town
Council must live in the respective voting ward he or she is seeking to
represent. Beverly Shores and Burns Harbor do not have voting wards, so
candidates may live in any part of Town. Candidates for clerk-treasuer may
also live in any part of Town.
Candidates must be
registered to vote in the district they seek to represent and must have
lived in the district at a primary residence for at least one year prior to
the general election.
A candidate for
office may be an employee of the same government unit he or she is running
to represent, but must resign if elected. Candidates may be employed
by one local government unit and be an elected officeholder in another.
Citizens who have
been convicted of a felony or pleaded guilty or no contest to a felony
charge (or a felony charge that was later reduced to a Class A Misdemeanor)
may not run for local office, per Indiana Code.