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

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.

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.

More: Judge to pause absentee ballot mailing in Trump-endorsed state Senate 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.

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.

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.