A new state law takes candidates running unopposed off your November ballot. It has election officials concerned about voter turnout for this year’s Municipal Election. “I would say the reaction was shock and disappointment,” said Heather Maddox.
Heather Maddox and Jared Bond, Co-Directors for the Board of Elections and Registration Office in Tippecanoe County aren’t happy with House Bill 1242. Part of that new law, effective on July 1, 2011, has a provision about uncontested municipal elections.
“I expect when we start sending out absentee ballots and people start voting in the satellite voting locations, that we will get some phone calls from people saying, ‘I think my ballot was wrong’,” said Bond. Lafayette voters will not be able to cast a vote for Mayor Tony Roswarski, since he has no Republican challenger.
“On a personal level, I’m disappointed. I mean, it just, it feels funny to me, not just as a mayor but as a citizen,” said Mayor Roswarski.
“I can’t speak for other elected officials, but I suppose there would be folks that if their name wasn’t even on the ballot, the campaign might basically be over and they might not go door to door anymore. And they might not advertise at all and they might be just, kind of done,” added Roswarski.
The mayor said that will not be the case for his campaign. He vows to keep on campaigning, but he did say some things may change.
Full Article: New election law could affect voter turnout | WLFI – Lafayette, Indiana.