The Indiana Supreme Court has refused to take over jurisdiction in the election challenge against Secretary of State Charlie White. Democrats have sued to overturn a Recount Commission ruling that White’s voter registration was proper. White had asked the Supreme Court to take over the case from Marion Circuit Judge Louis Rosenberg.
The justices say a case can skip the Court of Appeals, but not the trial court. “All I was trying to do is just expedite the process,” White says. “You know, I tried, and I guess we’ll just move forward.”
Democrats contend White’s registration is at the wrong address, and that it makes him ineligible to serve. He faces a criminal trial in January on similar allegations — either case could force his removal from office, but the election case would make his replacement a Democrat.
If White were to be convicted of a felony, Republican Governor Mitch Daniels would appoint his successor.
White defeated Democrat Vop Osili 10 months ago. Osili is now running for an open City-County Council seat against White’s press secretary, A-J Feeney-Ruiz, but would inherit the secretary of state’s job if a court were to overrule the Recount Commission ruling.