The Indiana Election Committee voted Friday to keep Rep. Todd Young, R-9th District, on the primary ballot after challenges to his campaign for United States Senate.
The committee cast a 2-2 vote, effectively keeping Young on the ballot. Young is currently running against Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-3rd District.
Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party John Zody formally challenged the candidate’s ballot petition after the IDP noticed Young had 501 validated signatures, exactly one more than the 500 required by state law.
After filing an open courts request and doing a recount of signatures, the IDP found Young to be two short of the 500, Zody said in a press conference.
Zody said in a statement Friday it was clear Young did not meet the signature threshold requirement.
“Today’s hearing showed two things — Todd Young thinks he’s above the law and it’s always someone else’s fault,” Zody said in the statement.
Young’s campaign also sent out a press release, which said the campaign had always had a sufficient number of signatures. The IDP’s efforts to kick Young’s name off the ballot were a political stunt, the release said.
The release also criticized Stutzman for joining the IDP’s campaign against Young.
“They ripped a page straight out of Obama’s playbook,” the release said. “And Marlin Stutzman showed his true colors when he joined the Democrats. But their political tricks couldn’t stop us.”
The IDP also released a statement after the decision to keep Young’s name on the U.S. Senate ballot was made. While the IDP is a political party, it also believes in following the law, something it believes Young didn’t do, it said.
“Despite Todd Young’s repeated defiance over the past week, calling our challenge a ‘stunt,’ today’s hearing proved one thing: he did not have enough signatures to be on the primary ballot this May. He did not follow the law,” the IDP said in its statement.
“This is why we fight. No one Hoosier, and no one candidate, is above the rule of law in our state.”
In his statement, Zody said while he was disappointed in the decision made Friday, he stands by the case made by the IDP against Young.
“I remain confident in the case we made in our challenges, and any decision regarding further action is forthcoming,” Zody said. “Regardless of outcome, the IDP will continue to look after everyday Hoosiers and advocate for fairness under all laws — including those governing our elections.”
Alexa Chryssovergis
