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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Lake County Board of Elections Candidate Ballot Access Challenges - February 24, 2026

County Boards & Commissions — Tuesday, February 24, 2026

BodyLake County, Indiana

SessionCounty Boards & Commissions

DateTuesday, February 24, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:19:18

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:20

Alright, I'm going to call the uh February 24th, 2026 meeting of the Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration to order if uh you are able to get all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:32

I pledge the leaders of the United States of America.

0:45

Thank you.

0:46

And roll call, please.

0:48

President Mike Brown.

0:50

President Microan.

0:52

I am here.

0:53

John Reed.

0:53

Present.

0:54

I am here.

0:55

We have a forum.

0:56

All members are present in person.

0:58

I do want to mention just scheduling here if you're here for a challenge.

1:04

We're going to take a break, brief recess between probably 10 55 and about 11 30 or so thereabouts.

1:11

So I apologize in advance for that.

1:13

The other thing I want to mention just about challenges is that you know this is a step in the process.

1:20

If you're here regarding a challenge, if you either you are challenging someone or if you are being challenged, just remember the decision of this board is not necessarily final.

1:29

You have the ability that if you disagree with our board decision to take that to uh superior circuit court and from there, and you would have to look for an attorney or some legal advice how to do that.

1:41

So I just want everybody to know that.

1:43

Um I also want people that are here that have been challenged or are challenging to know that the board does have copies of everything you filed, all your materials that you're challenged.

1:53

I don't believe we have anything from people that have been challenged.

1:56

So if you do have those materials and you'd like to get them to the board, when you come up to the microphone, um please just let us know you have additional materials and we'll take those and review those with us.

2:06

Um we do like to try to get through these as quickly as possible.

2:09

We also want to be respectful of everybody that they get a chance to be heard before us.

2:14

Um the challenger will go first.

2:16

Uh we have our lawyers here also to help us, and uh then we'll turn it over to the person being challenged if they have anything else.

2:23

If you are being challenged and you're not contesting it, when you get called, let us know that because we can make quick uh quick um uh you know business that way.

2:31

Um all right, before we start, um just want to make sure there's I guess we are going right into business.

2:38

If you are a challenger or you're being challenged and you're gonna give testimony today, uh please if you could stand and raise your right hand so I could swear everybody in.

2:48

Yes, and all witnesses that may be with the people being challenged or challenged.

2:53

All right, got a nice group here.

2:55

Thank you.

2:56

All right, raise your right hand.

2:58

See everybody raising the right hand.

2:59

You swear that testimony or this one will be the truth, the whole truth, and then the vote for yourself.

3:06

All right, we'll show you all being sworn if for some reason someone comes in late.

3:09

I'll try to get them sworn in this one.

3:12

All right, then uh what we're gonna do is take these in order of filing.

3:16

First one is 45-2026-01 Niemier versus Jones, uh Cedar Lake Town Council board one.

3:24

I saw Chairman Niemaier here.

3:26

Good morning, sir.

3:27

Good morning to the board.

3:28

I apologize for my voice.

3:30

I'm on the uh aftermath of the call, but I will do my best to articulate possible.

3:36

Thank you.

3:37

Is anybody here sorry?

3:38

Could you repeat that?

3:39

For Matt Jones, Matt Jones, anyone.

3:42

Matt Jones, Matt Jones is not here.

3:45

Uh, we'll show that he failed to appear.

3:47

Um Mr.

3:48

Chairman, it appears that you filed this as chairman and mentioning his vote history.

3:53

We have a copy of that.

3:54

Is there anything else you need to let us know regarding this?

3:57

That is that okay.

3:59

Mr.

3:59

Chairman, Mr.

4:00

Millen.

4:01

Um, seeing that Mr.

4:02

Jones isn't here to contest this.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Election Procedures█████████████████████████████████████████████66%

Election Administration█████████13%

Procedural██████9%

Campaign Finance████6%

Voter Accessibility███5%

Public Safety█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Lake County Board of Elections Candidate Ballot Access Challenges - February 24, 2026

The Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration met on February 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Commissioners Courtroom, Crown Point, Indiana. Board members present: Kevin Smith (Chair), Michael Brown (Clerk), Mara Candelaria-Reardon, John Reed, and Michael Mellon. The meeting focused exclusively on hearing and deciding 17 candidate ballot access challenges (cases 45-2026-01 through 45-2026-17) filed against individuals seeking various local offices ahead of the 2026 primary election. The Chair opened with a reminder that the board’s decision is not final and can be appealed to superior court.

Candidate Ballot Challenges

Each challenge was heard in order of filing. Challengers typically alleged that the candidate lacked required voting history, proper residency, or correct certification by the party chair. The board followed a standard process: the challenger presented evidence (often voter history printouts), then the challenged candidate (if present) responded. Attorneys for both sides participated.

45-2026-01 & 45-2026-02 – Niemeyer vs Jones / Toth vs Jones (Cedar Lake Town Council Ward 1): Matt Jones failed to appear. The board unanimously (5-0) upheld the challenge and removed him from the ballot. The second challenge against Jones was deemed moot.
45-2026-03 – Niemeyer vs Wolgemuth (West Creek Town Board): Wolgemuth did not appear. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed him from the ballot.
45-2026-04 – Niemeyer vs Corcoran (Winfield Town Board): Corcoran failed to appear. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed him from the ballot.
45-2026-05 – Niemeyer vs Swift (Republican Convention Delegate District 12): Swift did not appear. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed him from the ballot.
45-2026-06 – Niemeyer vs McGill (Republican Convention Delegate District 12): McGill did not appear. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed him from the ballot.
45-2026-07 – Niemeyer vs Seaton (Calumet Town Board): Ms. Seaton appeared and argued that her temporary residence and voter registration were within the same precinct. The board heard testimony from Lori O'Day (Assistant Voter Registration Administrator) about a returned mail issue. After debate, the board voted to deny the challenge, keeping Seaton on the ballot. Discussion highlighted concerns about procedures for updating voter registration based on CAN 2 forms.
45-2026-08 – Repay vs Sund (Hanover Town Board): Darlene Sund appeared and explained she had voted Republican in a primary only to support her daughter’s candidacy. The board, constrained by state law requiring two consecutive primaries in the same party or chair certification, voted unanimously (4-0, with one member recused?) to uphold the challenge and remove Sund from the ballot. (Vote was 4-0? Transcript shows all present voted).
45-2026-09 – Repay vs Jawdat (County Council District 4): Chair Smith recused himself due to a conflict; Vice Chair Brown presided. Jawdat did not appear. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed her from the ballot.
45-2026-10 – Guernsey vs Price (Hobart Town Assessor): Mr. Price appeared. The challenge noted he had voted Democratic in a recent primary. Price had chair certification, but it was filed after his CAN 2 on the same day. The board determined that at the time of filing, Price did not know he was certified, and his CAN 2 check indicating chair certification was inaccurate. The board unanimously upheld the challenge and removed Price from the ballot.
45-2026-11 – Gomez vs Smith Jr (North Township Trustee): Samuel Smith Jr. appeared and admitted he mistakenly checked “no” to questions about being a prior candidate and filing campaign finance reports, despite having run for office multiple times. The challenger argued this was fraudulent. The board debated whether it was fraud or a scrivener’s error. The board voted (3-2) to uphold the challenge and remove Smith from the ballot. Members who voted to uphold considered that multiple omissions on a sworn statement went beyond a simple error.
45-2026-12 & 13 – Scott vs Jones & Haynes-Edwards vs Jones (Ross Township Trustee): Combined. Myesha Jones appeared with her attorney. The challenge was based on voting history, but she had chair certification. The board unanimously (5-0) denied the challenge, allowing Jones to remain on the ballot.
45-2026-14 – Johnson-Fletcher vs Hall (Calumet Town Trustee): Tanika Hall appeared. The challenge cited multiple errors on her CAN 12 (omission of spouse’s name, corporate officer status, etc.). Hall admitted rushing and filed an amendment. The board found the errors beyond scrivener’s errors and voted (5-0) to uphold the challenge, removing Hall from the ballot.
45-2026-15 – Schmitt vs Elzinga (Schererville Town Council 4th Ward): Dan Elzinga appeared. The challenge raised residency (he had lived in town only 28 days) and lack of primary voting history, but Elzinga had chair certification. The board voted (3-2) to deny the challenge, keeping Elzinga on the ballot. The minority vote (Brown and Smith) favored upholding.
45-2026-16 – Arce vs Gaines Jr (Precinct Committeeman – G2 20): The challenger was not present. Gaines Jr. had chair certification. The board voted (3-2) to deny the challenge, keeping Gaines on the ballot.
45-2026-17 – Perryman vs Cavazos (Precinct Committeeman – HO 22): Cavazos failed to appear. Perryman testified that Cavazos did not live in the precinct. The board voted unanimously (5-0) to uphold the challenge and remove Cavazos from the ballot.

Key Outcomes

| Challenge # | Office | Challenger | Challenged | Decision (Vote) | |---|---|---|---|---| | 01-02 | Cedar Lake Council Ward 1 | Niemeyer/Toth | Matt Jones | Upheld (5-0) – removed from ballot | | 03 | West Creek Town Board | Niemeyer | Wolgemuth | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 04 | Winfield Town Board | Niemeyer | Corcoran | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 05 | GOP Convention Delegate D12 | Niemeyer | Swift | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 06 | GOP Convention Delegate D12 | Niemeyer | McGill | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 07 | Calumet Town Board | Niemeyer | Seaton | Denied (5-0) – remains on ballot | | 08 | Hanover Town Board | Repay | Sund | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 09 | County Council District 4 | Repay | Jawdat | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 10 | Hobart Town Assessor | Guernsey | Price | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 11 | North Township Trustee | Gomez | Smith Jr. | Upheld (3-2) – removed | | 12-13 | Ross Township Trustee | Scott/Haynes-Edwards | Jones | Denied (5-0) – remains | | 14 | Calumet Town Trustee | Johnson-Fletcher | Hall | Upheld (5-0) – removed | | 15 | Schererville Council 4th | Schmitt | Elzinga | Denied (3-2) – remains | | 16 | Precinct Committeeman G2 20 | Arce | Gaines Jr. | Denied (3-2) – remains | | 17 | Precinct Committeeman HO 22 | Perryman | Cavazos | Upheld (5-0) – removed |

Other Business

The board noted upcoming events: Campaign Finance Training on March 7, 2026, and a Behind the Ballot Open House on March 14, 2026.
No correspondence, counsel reports, or purchase orders were considered.
The next meeting is scheduled for March 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
The meeting adjourned shortly after 12:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Alright, I'm going to call the uh February 24th, 2026 meeting of the Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration to order if uh you are able to get all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge the leaders of the United States of America. Thank you. And roll call, please. President Mike Brown. President Microan. I am here. John Reed. Present. I am here. We have a forum. All members are present in person. I do want to mention just scheduling here if you're here for a challenge. We're going to take a break, brief recess between probably 10 55 and about 11 30 or so thereabouts. So I apologize in advance for that. The other thing I want to mention just about challenges is that you know this is a step in the process. If you're here regarding a challenge, if you either you are challenging someone or if you are being challenged, just remember the decision of this board is not necessarily final. You have the ability that if you disagree with our board decision to take that to uh superior circuit court and from there, and you would have to look for an attorney or some legal advice how to do that. So I just want everybody to know that. Um I also want people that are here that have been challenged or are challenging to know that the board does have copies of everything you filed, all your materials that you're challenged. I don't believe we have anything from people that have been challenged. So if you do have those materials and you'd like to get them to the board, when you come up to the microphone, um please just let us know you have additional materials and we'll take those and review those with us. Um we do like to try to get through these as quickly as possible. We also want to be respectful of everybody that they get a chance to be heard before us. Um the challenger will go first. Uh we have our lawyers here also to help us, and uh then we'll turn it over to the person being challenged if they have anything else. If you are being challenged and you're not contesting it, when you get called, let us know that because we can make quick uh quick um uh you know business that way. Um all right, before we start, um just want to make sure there's I guess we are going right into business. If you are a challenger or you're being challenged and you're gonna give testimony today, uh please if you could stand and raise your right hand so I could swear everybody in. Yes, and all witnesses that may be with the people being challenged or challenged. All right, got a nice group here. Thank you. All right, raise your right hand. See everybody raising the right hand. You swear that testimony or this one will be the truth, the whole truth, and then the vote for yourself. All right, we'll show you all being sworn if for some reason someone comes in late. I'll try to get them sworn in this one. All right, then uh what we're gonna do is take these in order of filing. First one is 45-2026-01 Niemier versus Jones, uh Cedar Lake Town Council board one. I saw Chairman Niemaier here. Good morning, sir. Good morning to the board. I apologize for my voice. I'm on the uh aftermath of the call, but I will do my best to articulate possible. Thank you. Is anybody here sorry? Could you repeat that? For Matt Jones, Matt Jones, anyone. Matt Jones, Matt Jones is not here. Uh, we'll show that he failed to appear.

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