LaPorte County Election Board grants several party-filed challenges, continues a major residency hearing

The LaPorte County Election Board spent significant time Feb. 25 on candidate challenges filed by party officials and members.

Challenges granted: The board granted a challenge filed by Julie Sinclair that removed Nicholas Anthony Morelli from the ballot for state convention delegate (District 3) and from the precinct committeeman contest in MC 11 after reviewing vote-history records and noting the absence of required chairman certificates where applicable. The board explained that challenges focus on statutory and party-rule qualifications — for many delegate and precinct contests, proof of primary voting history or a chairman certificate is required. "The challenge was brought before the board, and the challenge is based on affiliation with a party," the board stated while explaining the basis for a decision.

Other rulings: The board also granted additional challenges under the party's two-primary rule, including a challenge that affected Gail Gonder. In one instance a challenger withdrew a challenge and the board denied the withdrawn challenge only because the withdrawal could not be processed; in another instance the board declined to act where the member who filed the challenge properly met procedural requirements.

Residency hearing continued: A separate and more complex residency challenge to Richard Grammarosa (Galena Township) presented documentary evidence and testimony from a former county auditor about an investigation involving assessor visits and low electric-usage bills (2020–2023) suggesting the property may have been unoccupied. Grammarosa and counsel raised evidentiary and due-process objections and requested copies of the investigation and bills. Attorney objections and the need for counsel to review documents led the board and parties to agree to continue that hearing to Feb. 26, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. and to exchange the investigation file by email in advance of the continued hearing.

Procedure and context: Board members repeatedly emphasized the distinction between internal party rules and state election law. Several speakers urged party chairs to address internal procedures (for example, chairman certificates) within party structures rather than expecting the election board to resolve internal party disputes. The board noted statutory deadlines requiring that challenge decisions be final by noon on Feb. 26 and set the continued hearing schedule accordingly.

What's next: The Grammarosa residency hearing will resume Feb. 26 at 8:30 a.m.; the board requested that the investigator provide the documents relied on during testimony so counsel can review them before the continuation.

Votes at a glance: The board recorded voice votes on multiple motions to grant or deny challenges during the meeting; where formal tallies or roll-call records were not specified in the transcript, the minutes reflect the board's voice votes and the formal orders to be prepared in the clerk's office.