VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — A judge must determine whether a lawmaker lives in his northern Indiana legislative district as required by law and whether he is eligible to replace outgoing state Sen. Vic Heinold.

Porter County Superior Judge Bill Alexa was scheduled to hear the legal dispute involving Republican state Rep. Ed Soliday on Tuesday.

The Republican has said it is too early to say whether he would seek to replace Heinold, who is resigning to take a new job in Louisiana. Porter County Republican Party Chairman Chuck Williams said Soliday would make an excellent candidate if he opts to run.

A group of five local voters filed a lawsuit Feb. 21 claiming the Porter County commissioners exceeded their authority in October 2001 by reconfiguring House district lines while revamping a few local precincts. The change inappropriately moved Soliday’s property from the 10th District to the 4th District, the lawsuit contends.

The suit asks the court to replace Soliday with Democratic challenger Sylvia Graham, whom Soliday defeated last fall for the two-year term. If that is found to be improper, the group of voters asks that a special election be ordered.

If it is determined Soliday lives in the district, as he claims, he will be eligible to continue representing the district and seek to replace Heinold, according to information provided by Jane Pecor, Republican representative in the Porter County Voter Registration Office.

But if Alexa rules that Soliday lives in Center Township Precinct 18, he will be ineligible to hold either seat.

Posted 4/12/2007