To the editor:

This is a teachable moment. Dubois County Democrat Party Chairman Mike Kendall needs a lesson in election law and in representing his party’s members and candidates.

The Indiana Election Division is a bi-partisan agency of state government. The agency is headed by Republican J. Bradley King and Democrat Angela Nussmeyer as co-directors. Democrat Matthew Kochevar and Republican Valerie Warycha are the co-legal counsel. Every day, county clerks, members of county election boards, state legislators, political party officers and interested citizens call the Election Division about the applicability and administration of election law. Instead of an unnamed “Republican agency” or an unidentified “Republican lawyer in Indianapolis,” Mr. Kendall needs to learn who to call for reliable, bi-partisan election law advice.

Had Mr. Kendall called one of the Democrat members of the Election Division, they would have told him that the language on the form all candidates file is clear and unequivocal — “I am not ineligible to be a candidate due to criminal conviction that would prohibit me from serving in this office.”

A county party chairman learns from other party officers and past holders of the position to go to the Election Division for authoritative and balanced advice.

I hope Mr. Kendall learns his lesson.

—Don Hayes
Jasper