Marion County Election Board Meeting - January 30, 2026
Marion County Election Board Meeting - January 30, 2026
The Marion County Election Board met on January 30, 2026, at 10:04 AM in the City-County Building. The meeting was chaired by Nalita Stewart, with Vice Chair Jennifer Ping, Secretary Kate Sweeney, Director of Elections Patrick Becker, outside counsel Brad Boswell, and Corporation Council Adam Wicker present. The board addressed routine approvals, campaign finance fine appeals, resolutions for the upcoming primary election, and administrative updates.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Danielle Coulter requested a waiver for a late 2024 annual campaign finance report, citing a busy work day and missing the noon deadline. She noted it was her first offense in nearly a decade of filing. The board unanimously voted to waive the fine.
- Maxine King requested a waiver for a late 2024 report, explaining a mailing address discrepancy and a snowstorm that delayed mail. She also mentioned upcoming 2025 fines. The board waived the 2024 fine and tabled discussion of 2025 penalties, advising her to close her committee and return later for 2025 matters.
- Michael Eagle, representing the Pike Proud Pack PAC, requested a waiver for late disclosure fees. He cited mail forwarding delays and newness to the treasurer role. The PAC was created for a successful school referendum. The board unanimously waived the fines.
Discussion Items
- Adoption of Minutes: The board unanimously approved minutes from six previous meetings (January 21, February 26, March 20, April 18, May 21, and July 18, 2025).
- Administrative Closure of Campaign Finance Committees: Director Becker presented four committees (Vincent Williams, Nicole Sledge, Meredith Alex Henby, Rodney Fields Jr.) eligible for administrative dissolution due to no filings in three years and cash on hand under $1,000. The board voted unanimously to dissolve them.
- Review of 2024 Campaign Finance Fines: Three individuals (Coulter, King, Eagle) requested hearings; fines were waived as noted. Remaining fines from 2024 were deemed final and sent to collections.
- Resolution for Student Poll Workers (Resolution 1-26): Director Becker presented the annual resolution allowing 16- and 17-year-old students to serve as poll workers, subject to qualifications (residency, citizenship, GPA, school/parent approval, training). The board unanimously adopted it for the May and November 2026 elections.
- Resolution for Absentee Ballot Counters (Resolution 2-26): This resolution, based on recent state law, allows registered Indiana voters from outside Marion County to work as absentee ballot counters on election day at the central count. The board adopted it unanimously.
- Procedure Review for Virtual Meeting Participation: The board reviewed a policy adopted in January 2024 allowing one member to attend virtually under specific conditions. No vote was taken; the policy remains in effect.
- IEC22 Certification of Voting System and Electronic Poll Book Inventory: Director Becker presented the annual certification of serial numbers for voting equipment, to be sent to the state by January 31. The board signed the certification without a vote.
- Unopposed Precinct Committee Persons and State Convention Delegates: Director Becker explained that state law removes unopposed candidates from the ballot to reduce administrative burden and ballot length. The board discussed that they may hear from affected candidates but affirmed the process.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (6 sets) unanimously.
- Four campaign finance committees administratively dissolved (Williams, Sledge, Henby, Fields).
- Fines waived for Danielle Coulter, Maxine King (2024 only), and Michael Eagle (Pike Proud Pack). King’s 2025 fines tabled for a future meeting.
- Resolution 1-26 (student poll workers) adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 2-26 (absentee ballot counters) adopted unanimously.
- Voting system inventory certification signed and will be filed with the state.
- Next meeting scheduled for February 4, 2026, at the City-County Building.
- Deadlines announced: Candidate filing closes February 6 at noon; voter registration closes April 6; primary election May 5, 2026. The board urged poll worker recruitment and noted high expected turnout.
Updates: Director Becker introduced new staff (Constance Elliott, Bree Joyce, David Hughes, Annie Schrader) and announced the election service center will move from 3737 East Washington Street to a downtown location, with a lease expected by March and occupancy by summer.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah. Good morning and happy new year to everyone here. Uh we'll we'll uh call the Marion County Election Board meeting to order here. It is uh 1004 uh January 30th. We'll get started with uh introductions here in the room for everyone uh here and uh listening online. Uh I'll start with myself and then we'll have the staff and uh counselor introduce themselves. So first Nalita Stewart chair, Jennifer Ping, Vice Chair Kate Sweeney Bill, Secretary, Patrick Becker, Director of Elections, uh Brad Boswell, outside council, Adam Wicker Corporation Council Great, thank you guys. Uh we'll get started here. First, we have a order of business here of adopting uh the minutes. Um we have a I know a staff sent this over to everybody to review, so we have a series to catch up on here. So were there any uh questions from the board on um the minutes that were sent over for review or changes? Nope. None. I will move to adopt the minutes for January 21st, 2025, February 26th, 2025, March 20th, 2025, April 18th, 2025, May 21st, 2025, and July 18th, 2025. Second. Okay. Properly motion is second. I'll call Roe, uh Vice Chair, aye. Madam Clerk? Aye. Okay, and show the chair voting aye. Okay. All right, we'll move on to the next order of business. Um the next piece is around administrative closure of campaign finance committees. Uh Director Becker, would you give an overview? Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, you should have in front of you a uh table that um has uh four different uh committees uh that staff has done an evaluation. Um the law requires um that not later than the Friday uh of January, the last Friday of January, uh which happens to be today, um, that the board shall review a list of committees uh that have filed statements with uh to determine if there are any that can be administratively closed. Um and what's in front of the board here are four committees that um staff has identified that fall uh into that um category of eligible for administrative closure. Um the requirements for that are that the the committee's not filed a report of expenditures in the three previous calendar years, and that the report uh the committee's reporting a cash on hand amount less than 1,000 dollars. Um and so the board uh the the law then allows the board uh the board may vote to administratively close uh these um committees, and that is uh what staff is here uh requesting of the board. And I'm happy to answer more questions, or I'm sure council can also uh answer more questions if there are any questions from the board. No, I do note that these are um democrat, nonpartisan, republican, and independent. So that that is uh I mean if we're doing it, I think uh it cut covers the gamut. Yes, we're well balanced. Okay, director have all are all of these committees informed of the closure or just because they have no response is by the recommendation why is part of the recommendation. Uh once the board votes, they will be notified. Got it. Okay. Okay. And if they don't uh if we don't administratively dissolve every there will start every year is will there be new fees and fines accrued and accumulated for these committees? Yeah, essentially um you kind of get into this point where they reach the maximum fine every filing. Um and I I you know, especially if these folks um are no longer actively running or or campaigning, um, which there doesn't seem to be any evidence that they are. Um I think the law kind of uh contemplates that the board can kind of take these these measures. Um but they to your point, madam clerk, they have open committees with us that have not been filed for at least three years. Okay, okay. Um so do we need to make a motion we take these all together all together or individually one at a time? All together. Okay. Well, I'll move to administratively dissolve the committees for Vincent Williams.
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