Challenges to GOP candidates on primary ballot center on alleged paperwork snafus
MUNCIE, Ind. − The candidacies of four Republicans aiming to be elected to Muncie City Council were challenged Friday as the paperwork of all four have come under scrutiny.
Delaware County Clerk Rick Spangler said the County Election Board will hear the challenges this coming Friday and determine if any of the candidates should be removed from the ballot for the May 2 election. Reasoning for each challenge was not initially available this weekend.
Isaac Miller, who was recently chosen to represent Muncie City Council District 4 by a GOP caucus, failed to file a document called a CAN 42, which is a basic declaration for candidacy for municipal primary nomination in 2023.
Ana Quirk Hunter, Democrat County Chairman, filed the challenge and said Miller had filed a required form declaring any financial conflicts of interest involving the office but did not file the paperwork to run for the office itself.
Troy A. Ingram, an incumbent running for an at-large seat on the council, was challenged by DeWayne Richmond. Richmond's challenge says the form Ingram used to file had placed the political office in Porter County, Indiana, rather than Delaware County.
Richmond, who has been a Republican candidate for office in recent elections, also claimed Ingram failed to answer several lines on the form and wasn't properly notarized, among other issues with the paperwork.
Richmond also filed a challenge to the candidacy of Brandy Webb, another Republican aiming to run in District 4. The challenge alleged an issue with what the notary used in filing the candidacy paperwork.
Webb is the wife of Ryan Webb, Delaware County Council member who has been at odds with fellow Republicans during his time on council. Ingram has also voted with Democrats on numerous occasions while on city council.
David Hall filed a challenge to the candidacy of Chuck Leonard who filed to run for Muncie City Council District 3. He is being opposed by Nicholas (Nick) Taulbee in the Republican Primary. Again the objection to the candidacy appeared to center on issue with the notary who witnessed the paperwork filing.
Spangler, a Republican who serves on the three-member Election Board by virtue of being the county clerk, said he will be out of town in the coming week and he will will not be available for the meeting to consider the challenges. He said there would be someone appointed to serve in his stead at the meeting. The other two Election Board members are Republican Pete Drumm and Democrat Ashley Nichols.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Challenges to GOP candidates in primary center on paperwork snafus
