The Monroe County Democratic Party chair is challenging Republican Randy Cassady’s candidacy in the District 2 race for the Board of Commissioners.
Party Chair David Henry submitted a letter to the Monroe County Election Board on Monday urging its members to open an investigation into Cassady’s residency to determine whether he’s eligible to run for the District 2 seat.
The commissioners are required to live in one of three geographic districts in the county. District 2 represents Bloomington Township.
In his letter, Henry wrote he believes Cassady’s primary address is one of two locations outside District 2. If true, the board could deem Cassady ineligible to run for the District 2 seat.
Read: Henry’s letter to the election board
Indiana Code requires a candidate for county commissioner to live in the district they hope to serve for at least six months before the general election, which falls on Nov. 5.
In other words, Cassady would have had to live in District 2 on or before May 5. The primary was on May 7. Henry believes Cassady changed his voting address to a location in District 2 after the May primary.
Cassady’s campaign declined an interview with WFIU-WTIU News but provided the following written statement on Cassady’s behalf:
“While certain political groups are seeking to procedurally deny the voters’ opportunity to decide on their representation, I will remain focused on the pressing issues and opportunities facing Monroe County.”
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The election board is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Thursday. Listed on the body’s agenda for that meeting is a discussion of Henry’s letter challenging Cassady’s candidacy. The next step, based on Indiana Code, would be for the board to decide whether it will open an investigation to determine whether Cassady may have violated state election law.
If the board determines a violation has occurred, it shall “take the action it considers appropriate under the circumstances, including referring the matter to the attorney general or the appropriate prosecuting attorney,” according to state code.
The District 2 seat is currently held by Democratic incumbent Julie Thomas, who narrowly beat county councilor Peter Iversen in the May Democratic primary. Cassady is running as a Republican, despite previously voting in Democratic primaries.
