Gary, Hobart mayoral candidates kicked off ballot due to party dispute
One of three candidates for Gary mayor was kicked off the ballot Tuesday after his party affiliation was challenged by the Lake County Democratic Party chair.
A second mayoral candidate — this time on the other side of the aisle and seeking the top spot in Hobart — was also knocked off the ballot following a challenge on the same grounds by the county’s new Republican Party chair.
Danien J. Walls, who was challenging incumbent Gary Mayor Jerome Prince and state Sen. Eddie Melton for the city’s top job, lost his spot on the ballot for failing to meet party affiliation requirements after a successful challenge from Jim Wieser, chairman of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee.
Gary (The Polock) France, who was running unopposed in the May primary for Hobart mayor, also was removed from the ballot Tuesday, following a successful challenge by Randy Niemeyer, chairman of the Lake County Republican Party.
To run for a major party in an Indiana primary, the potential candidate must have voted for that party in the two prior primary elections they voted or they must obtain a waiver from the county party chairman. Walls had done neither. The board upheld Wieser’s challenge and removed Walls from the ballot.
Niemeyer said in his challenge that the last two primary elections in which France participated in 2019 and 2022, he voted as a Democrat. Niemeyer said he did not provide a waiver to France to run as a Republican in May. France was not present.
“He has not voted in a Republican Primary in the last two elections,” Niemeyer said.
Wieser said Walls did not vote as a Democrat in the past two primary elections and in fact had not voted at all in the past two primary elections, voting only the general elections.
Walls also did not obtain a waiver from the county party chairman to run as a Democrat despite his voting history. Wieser said he had never met Walls and did not provide a waiver.
Walls appeared before the election board on his own behalf. He said he had no bad intent and was confused between the primary and general election when filling out his campaign paperwork.
“Once again, there was no ill will,” Walls said.
Three additional candidates were removed from the ballot after their party affiliations were challenged. Mathew Lake will be removed from the ballot in the race for Crown Point City Council 5th District. In East Chicago, Ezell Foster will be removed from the race for at large city councilman and Elisabeth Flores will be removed from the ballot in the 2nd District.
Kelly B. Williams of East Chicago will retain his spot on the ballot in the race for the city’s first district council seat.
Williams faced two challenges — one from current Council President Monica Gonzalez, who is seeking reelection to the first district. The challenges alleged he did not properly file his business affiliations in his campaign paperwork and conducted business with the city.
Williams, who brought a group of supporters prepared to testify on his behalf, successfully argued through his attorneys that his work was through a church and therefore exempt from the reporting requirements. The election board agreed and the gallery cheered when Williams candidacy was affirmed. Board member Lake County Clerk Mike Brown recused himself from the decision.
East Chicago City Council candidate Vanessa Hernandez-Orange, who is vying for one of three at-large seats in a nine candidate race, will get to keep her candidacy and her nickname “Coach V” on the ballot after an unsuccessful challenge by another candidate for the office, Jesse Gomez.
Gomez argued the nickname “Coach V” inferred a title, which is prohibited by state law. Election board members found the nickname “Coach V” was just that, a nickname, and did not confer a title such as doctor, attorney or councilman.
Five candidates facing challenges withdrew from their races prior to Tuesday’s challenge hearings. Those withdrawing in advance of challenges to their eligibility include: David Recio, who was running for the Hobart City Council’s 4th District seat; Michael Walker, who was running for the Merrillville Town Council in Ward 5; John Brezik, who was seeking the Hobart City Council District 5 seat; Robert Pernell Sims, who was eyeing the East Chicago District 5 council seat; and George Barrera, who was seeking the East Chicago 4th District spot.
Two challenges against candidates were rejected after the complainant, Ericka McCauley of Hobart, failed to show up for the hearings or provide evidence to prove her claims. McCauley had challenged the candidacy of Monica Wolak Castro, who was running one of Hobart’s at large city council spots, and Joey Peco, who was seeking the District 3 council spot. Peco showed up to defend his case.
Election board members rejected the challenges because McCauley was not there to respond to Peco and because no evidence was presented to support her challenge to Wolak Castro’s candidacy.