Clerk hopeful criticizes party

Matt Stevenson, an IU junior running for city clerk, said Wednesday that the Monroe County Republican Party has embarrassed and taken advantage of him.\nStevenson, a Republican making his first bid for public office, accused his own party of deceiving students. He said the 200 fraternity and sorority members who applied for absentee ballots were lied to.\n"I'm mad that somebody from my party went out and told these students to lie on these requests," Stevenson said. "Even though it wasn't illegal, we still have to maintain honesty in everything we do in regards to voting."\nStevenson said Republicans at a press conference last Friday manipulated him to accuse Democrats of harassing student voters. He said he did not know in advance the only evidence his party would cite was a phone call to a fraternity officer from an IDS reporter. \n"If I had known that, I wouldn't have done the press conference," Stevenson said. "I think it was awful to go after a student reporter."\nStevenson said his party's maneuverings are the sort of hijinks that drive people away from the electoral process. \nStevenson is a rookie in politics, and he already feels used, he said. \n"I'm not going to let politics as usual discourage me," he said. "I want to know that I've done everything in my power to be honest."\nMarty Stevens, chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party, was out of town Wednesday.\nPresident of the College Republicans Angel Rivera said he has never had problems with the local Republican leadership. Rivera said he was surprised by Stevenson's comments.\n"Those are big statements," Rivera said. "I have no opinion until I find out more."\nTwo weeks ago, the county clerk's office received 216 applications for absentee ballots from students. The applications arched eyebrows at the clerk's office when staff noticed that all 200 students claimed they work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day.\nBoth County Clerk Jim Fielder and Interfraternity Council President Evan Waldman have said it's suspicious that students from the same greek houses have 12-hour-a-day jobs. \nMonday, the three-member County Election Board convened to discuss the controversial ballots. The board voted unanimously to go ahead and send them to students. The ruling did not touch upon the issue of whether the ballot applications were filled out truthfully.\nStevenson said he does not know who all is involved in the Republican's alleged absentee ballot plot.\nMonroe County Prosecutor Carl Salzmann issued a letter Wednesday to student voters to clear up the "confusion and misunderstandings" the ballot controversy has generated.\nSalzmann said no student committed perjury by requesting an absentee voter ballot. \nHe also said many students have received intimidating phone calls about their votes. \nThe deadline for the clerk's office to send out absentee ballots is Oct. 30. Once they have been mailed, the only way to contest them is through a recount. Chair of the Monroe County Democrats Dan Combs has said he will fight the absentee ballots, not to prevent students from voting, but to ensure the process is done fairly. \nStevenson said it would be outrageous if Democrats forced a recount. \nHe said he wants a big student voter turnout, to show that students matter. \n"I do not want to see students' votes get thrown out," Stevenson said. "It's disappointing that litigation is (the Democrats') answer to this election."\n-- Contact senior writer Adam VanOsdol at avanosdo@indiana.edu.