[Southsider2k12]

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...rce=twitter_nwi

LaPorte County official will not be able to seek the Republican Party nomination to a third term as county commissioner, unless the removal of his name from the ballot is overturned on appeal.

The LaPorte County Election Board on Friday voted to remove the name of Commissioner Rich Mrozinski from the May 7 Republican primary ballot. The request to do so was made by county GOP Chairman Allen Stevens.

One of the violations cited by Stevens and upheld by the election board was Mrozinski failed to place his initials, as required by state law, on three separate places on the paperwork candidates must file to run for office.

The election board also agreed with Stevens that Mrozinski should be taken off the Republican ballot for not being in good standing with the LaPorte County Republican Central Committee.

The committee, made up of Republican precinct committeepersons throughout the county, voted unanimously in September of 2022 to remove Mrozinski as an official member of the party.

[Southsider2k12]

https://hometownnewsnow.com/local-news/7331...GLNAXk0w3GEwMXw

No Appeal from Mrozinski on Ballot Decision
Posted March 11, 2024 04:05pm by Stan Maddux

(La Porte County, IN) - A LaPorte County Commissioner will not appeal a third time to try and get his name back on the May 7th primary ballot.



On Thursday, LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos upheld the February 23rd decision by the La Porte County Election Board to remove Rich Mrozinski from the ballot as a result of mistakes made on his candidacy filing documents.



Mrozinski, a Republican, failed to place his initials on three spots of the paperwork and took his appeal before the judge to have the election board decision overturned. His attorney, Alan Sirinek, said any request for an appeal before a higher court would require an expedited decision because the printing of primary ballots will begin soon.



"Regardless, Commissioner Mrozinski is not interested in pursuing this any further,” he said.



Attorney Chris Willoughby, representing the election board, argued county election boards are required by state law to remove a candidate from the ballot when mistakes are found on their filing documents. He also argued the placement of initials is clearly outlined under state law as “a must.”



“There’s no ambiguity to it. It’s clear. They were required to deny that filing,” he said.



Mrozinski’s attorney, Alan Sirinek, argued the intent of the Indiana Legislature, historically, has been for state election law to be viewed broadly to keep matters like technicalities from keeping people wanting to run off the ballot. He said Mrozinski, basically, met the only requirement by voting as a Republican in the two previous Republican primaries.



Sirinek said that not properly initializing the documents was a minor, easy-to-correct mistake that fits within the parameters of what’s supposed to be a loose interpretation of the election law.



“The intention of the legislature is clear. We don’t want to disenfranchise voters,” he said.



Alevizos, though, said the word "must," in state law on properly filling out candidacy documents, is not optional, also pointing out that the mistakes were not corrected before the February 16th deadline to file candidacy papers.



He told Sirinek the burden of proof was on him to present a strong enough case to overturn the election board decision.



“Your burden is pretty high. I don’t think you’ve met it,” Alevizos said.



Mrozinski can still seek a third term in the November general election, but he would have to run as a third-party candidate, an Independent, or a write-in candidate.