Marion County Election Board Meeting: February 4, 2026

The Marion County Election Board met on February 4, 2026, at 1:14 PM to discuss several key agenda items. Topics included a lease for a new election service center, findings from an investigation into Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales' use of state property in a campaign video, and the approval of a digital contract for website management. The meeting was chaired by Nolita Stewart.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were reported.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were offered.

Discussion Items

• 50/51 Caweb Lane Lease Hearing: Director Patrick Becker presented the details of a lease for a new operations center, which has been in development over a two-year process. Two versions of the lease were discussed: Version 1 (published for public notice) and Version 2 with clarifying language. Key changes in Version 2 included: defining shared common areas (parking, driveways), clarifying that real estate taxes are excluded from controllable expense caps, specifying that capital expenditures (e.g., roof repairs, parking lot sealing) are amortized over useful life, and removing contingency pricing for construction costs. The lease does not change square footage or rent amount. The board expressed strong support and voted unanimously to move the lease forward to the City-County Council's Admin and Finance Committee for final approval on March 3, 2026. Becker noted the new facility will have secured access from other tenants.
• Secretary of State Investigative Report: Outside Counsel Daniel Pulliam presented findings of an investigation launched after Secretary of State Diego Morales used footage from a visit to the Marion County Election Service Center in his campaign announcement video. Investigators reviewed security footage, campaign materials, and interviewed half a dozen individuals. Morales declined to speak with investigators. The report found that Morales used state property (video equipment, microphones) to generate footage for his campaign, which constitutes a potential Title IV violation (improper use of state property). Because Title IV applies to state officers, the investigation recommended first giving Morales an opportunity to respond, then potentially referring the matter to the State Inspector General and State Ethics Commission. The board voted unanimously to authorize notice to Morales with a 30-day response period.
• ApGuard Digital Contract Approval: Director Becker introduced a three-year professional services agreement with ApGuard Digital (owned by Josh Apgar) for maintenance and updates to the vote.ind.gov website. The contract includes website management, security updates, and training for election board staff to become more self-sufficient. The total not-to-exceed amount is $123,000 over three years, with approximately $17,000 allocated for a content management platform upgrade. The website is hosted by the county's Information Services Agency (ISA), which has approved the contract. A minor typo in the liability insurance provision was noted (correcting $2 million to $2 million). The board voted unanimously to approve the contract with that correction.

Key Outcomes

• Lease Vote: The board unanimously approved (3-0) the updated Version 2 lease for 50/51 Caweb Lane. Next steps: Presentation to the City-County Council's Admin and Finance Committee (tentatively next week), with final passage expected at the March 3, 2026 full council meeting.
• Investigation Vote: The board unanimously (3-0) authorized notifying Secretary Morales of the investigation's findings and providing him a 30-day window to respond. The investigation will then determine whether to refer the matter to the State Inspector General and State Ethics Commission.
• Contract Vote: The board unanimously (3-0) approved the ApGuard Digital contract with the typographical correction.
• Election Update: Director Becker provided election deadlines: First ballots go out in 4 days; voter registration closes in 61 days (April 7, 2026); early voting begins April 8, 2026; mail-in ballot request deadline is in 78 days; Election Day is May 5, 2026; candidate filing closes at noon on February 6, 2026 (Friday). Approximately 700 candidate filings have been received to date.