Lake County Board of Elections Meeting – January 20, 2026

The Lake County Board of Elections convened on January 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Commissioner's Courtroom, Crown Point. The meeting included nominations for board chair and vice chair, approval of prior minutes, old and new business, a contested complaint hearing, and public comment. Chairman Smith and Vice Chair Candelaria Reardon were elected. The board addressed several administrative items, a complaint regarding candidate Jason Gore, and allegations of election office irregularities raised by Republican County Chairman Mike Neyer.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes from November 13, 2025, November 18, 2025, and December 9, 2025 (motion by Clerk Brown, second by Mr. Mellon, carried unanimously).
• Approval of Purchase Orders PO2514784, PO2515704, PO2515368, PO2515365 (motion by Ms. Candelaria Reardon, second by Mr. Mellon, carried unanimously).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jeff Rosignal (Highland resident) expressed disappointment that the board had previously discussed concerns about public perception, and requested a change of polling location from Hooker Park due to a security incident where the location was left unlocked. He offered to recommend alternative locations.
• Carol Ann Seaton asked for clarification on disclaimer requirements for Facebook pages, specifically whether a disclaimer is needed for pages with fewer than 50 followers.
• Barbara Cotellas (Hobart resident) praised the board's detailed discussion, warned against allowing minor irregularities to escalate, and urged the board to enforce rules strictly to ensure safe elections.
• Thomas Ostrowski (advisor to petitioner Crane) criticized the board for allowing Mr. McDermott (Gore's representative) to continue speaking after a motion was made, arguing it was unfair. He also requested that the board post its policies and complaint procedures on its website to avoid confusion.

Discussion Items

• Chairman Neyer's Allegations: Republican County Chairman Mike Neyer presented a binder of materials alleging various issues in the election office, including: non-citizen voter registration and voting, ghost payrolling of inspectors, unauthorized access to the ballot room, political work on government time, and improper handling of voting machines. He stated the information came from public records and whistleblower reports. Board members noted that personnel matters are outside their purview but agreed to have attorneys review items related to election control (e.g., dual control) and address them at a future meeting.
• Poll Location Change – G3 26 & G4 03 (Gary): Request to change polling location from Patrick Park Pavilion to East Church (2456 Chase Street). After discussion, the Gary Democratic chairman and precinct committeemen supported the change; Republican Chairman Neyer did not object. The board approved the change unanimously.
• East Chicago Early Voting Location Change: Deferred to the next meeting to allow input from the Republican county chairman, as the East Chicago Republican organization is currently inactive.
• Crane v. Gore Complaint (2025-17): Petitioner John Crane alleged that candidate Jason Gore's campaign materials violated state law by (1) using the title "Sheriff" without the word "for" or "elect," and (2) lacking required disclaimers on certain signs and online posts.
  • Part 1 (Title): The board voted to dismiss this portion, citing Indiana Election Commission Advisory Opinion 2015-1, which allows candidates to use titles without the word "for." The motion to dismiss carried (unanimous, with one abstention? Actually all ayes, no nays – motion carried).
  • Part 2 (Disclaimers): The board upheld the complaint, finding that some signs (e.g., a veteran's parade sign, a billboard, and placards at campaign headquarters) lacked proper disclaimers. The board directed the Gore campaign to correct all issues and added that repeated violations could be referred to the prosecutor. Motion carried (unanimous).
  • Part 3 (Official Misconduct / Impersonation): The board also dismissed this allegation, as it was beyond the scope of Title III election law and the candidate was not a public servant. Motion to dismiss carried (unanimous).
• IEC-22 Certification of Voting System and Electronic Poll Book Inventory: The board approved the annual certification inventory (motion by Mr. Mellon, second by Clerk Brown, carried unanimously).
• Poll Location Change – CCT 01 & CCT 09 (Lake Dale): Deferred to the next meeting due to ongoing discussions with the fire department regarding use of the facility.
• County Authorization Forms – New Precinct Committeemen: Approved for new precincts CL 11, SJ 20, and WT 03 for both Democratic and Republican parties (motion by Mr. Mellon, second by Ms. Brandenburg, carried unanimously).
• Temporary Credential (TC) Updates for Voter Registration: The board approved two requests (4.4A and 4.4B) to remove temporary credential flags from voters who had provided proof of citizenship to the BMV. The board also directed staff to develop a formal procedure for handling such cases going forward.

Key Outcomes

• Elected Board Leadership: Chairman Smith (re-elected) and Vice Chair Candelaria Reardon (elected) for 2026.
• Crane v. Gore Complaint: Dismissed in part (title and misconduct allegations); upheld on disclaimer issues with a directive to correct.
• Poll Location Changes: Approved G3 26 & G4 03 change to East Church; deferred East Chicago early voting and CCT 01/09 changes.
• Administrative Approvals: Minutes, purchase orders, IEC-22 certification, new precinct committeemen forms, and two TC update requests were all approved.
• Future Actions: Board attorneys to review Chairman Neyer's materials for election-related items; staff to develop procedure for TC updates; next meeting scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM.