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Absentee ballots can be mailed out, judge rules, in Trump-endorsed Indiana Senate race

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Absentee ballots can be mailed out, judge rules, in Trump-endorsed Indiana Senate race


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Absentee ballots will continue to be mailed out in an Indiana Senate district where President Donald Trump has endorsed one candidate and allies have challenged the candidacy of another candidate by the same last name.

A special judge assigned to the case vacated an order by the previous judge that halted the mailing of absentee ballots in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties. Originally, a Clay County judge wanted these ballots halted until the court could make a decision on the underlying case, which would determine whether one of the Republican primary challengers should be on the ballot in the May election.

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The state Senate GOP primary was already the subject of intrigue when Trump endorsed Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County councilor challenging incumbent Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute, who was a vocal opponent of redistricting. Then another Wilson, named Alexandra Wilson, joined the race.

Prominent attorney and Gov. Mike Braun ally Jim Bopp is representing a voter who challenged Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy ostensibly on technical grounds but also because they believe Wilson was recruited specifically to confuse voters and dilute votes away from the Trump-endorsed candidate by the same last name. Wilson’s attorney and the Vigo County GOP chair, where she is from, vehemently deny this.

The state election commission deadlocked 2-2, allowing Wilson to remain on the primary ballot, and Bopp took the issue to court.

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In issuing his injunction on the ballot mailings on March 18, even as the statutory deadline for mailing absentee ballots approaches March 21, Judge David Thomas also granted Wilson’s wish for a special judge on the case.

The morning of March 20, Wilson’s attorney argued in a motion that the decision to block three counties from mailing ballots was a violation of trial rules, since those counties were not parties to the underlying case and didn’t have the opportunity to be heard on the matter or provide evidence.

“The Court clearly exceeded its jurisdiction by issuing this Order,” attorney Samantha DeWester wrote.

Later in the afternoon, the special judge in the case, Charles Bridges of Putnam County, granted Dewester’s motion and voided the previous order to halt the ballot mailing.

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A hearing on the merits of the case is scheduled for Tuesday in Clay County.

Contact state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X @kayla_dwyer17.



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New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

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New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary


(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A special judge on Friday lifted an order blocking officials in three western Indiana counties from mailing absentee ballots in a Republican primary where President Donald Trump has endorsed a challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode.

Putnam County Superior Court Judge Charles Bridges took the step the same day he took over the dispute involving whether one of two women with the last name Wilson who filed to run against Goode in the primary should be removed from the primary ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction.

The original judge on Wednesday had ordered the county clerks in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties to hold off on distributing absentee ballots involving the Republican Senate District 38 race.

Under state law, county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on Saturday ahead of the May 5 primary.

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Friday’s order from Bridges said that delaying those ballots would violate federal law and that the county court couldn’t prevent the clerks “from fulfilling their constitutional duties regarding the mailing of absentee ballots.”

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney argued before the Indiana Election Commission last month that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor.

The dispute has gained attention because of its possible impact on the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County Council member who has Trump’s endorsement against Goode following the senator’s December vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.

The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot.

Bridges set a hearing for Tuesday to review the Election Commission’s actions.

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Alexandra Wilson’s attorney, Samantha DeWester, argued in a court filing that blocking mailing of primary ballots would wrongly hurt her client’s “ability to campaign and effectively run for elected office.”

Attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun and is supporting Brenda Wilson, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson.

Bopp said he would not fight to keep the initial absentee ballots from going out with Alexandra Wilson’s name included.

“The vast majority of ballots that are going to be cast are, of course, in the future, with early voting and in-person voting,” Bopp told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “That’s the most important thing to get right.”

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Indiana police increase patrols on 2 interstates for spring break

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Indiana police increase patrols on 2 interstates for spring break


Indiana State Police will ramp up patrols along major roadways during spring break to “deter dangerous driving behavior,” the agency said in a news release March 22.

The effort is already underway. On March 20 and 21, ISP’s Lafayette District patrolled Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 for aggressive driving as students and families hit the roads for spring break travel.

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The results, according to police, were 223 traffic stops, 25 calls for service, five crash investigations, five drug-related charges, three operating-while-intoxicated arrests, two reckless driving arrests, two suspended drivers and one vehicle pursuit.“These targeted patrols are about keeping Hoosiers and those traveling through our state safe,” Lt. Tom McKee, Lafayette district commander, said in a news release. “With increased traffic on our roadways, our troopers were out proactively addressing those violations to reduce crashes and keep our roadways safe.”

ISP did not say how long the increased patrols will continue.Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@indystar.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador. 



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San Antonio vs. Indiana, Final Score: Spurs got serious when they needed to, winning 134-119

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San Antonio vs. Indiana, Final Score: Spurs got serious when they needed to, winning 134-119


The San Antonio Spurs have a habit of playing with their food, but the talent difference between them and their opponents makes up for it on most nights. Eventually, they flexed their muscles and there was nothing the visitors could do.

They overwhelmed the Indiana Pacers with paint pressure, which also opened up the outside game, and everyone who got time was a contributor. Victor Wembanyama was like an angry killer wasp on defense, constantly harassing ball handlers, racking up four of his five blocks in the first half. Everything was going smoothly, but his teammates started allowing too much penetration, and their 21-point lead was reduced to eight. It was just three players doing most of the heavy lifting offensively for the Pacers, and the Spurs spent the rest of the game, denying them from getting within striking distance.



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