Dems dispute Watson

A challenge has been filed against a candidate for Dunkirk clerk-treasurer.

Jay County Circuit Court clerk Jon Eads reported late Thursday afternoon that Jay County Democrat chairman Randy Mann filed a challenge against Kelly Watson.

Jay County Election Board will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m. Feb. 21 to rule on the challenge. 

Indiana code states that in order for a candidate to be affiliated with a political party they must have either voted in that party’s most recent primary election or receive certification from the party’s county chairman that they are a member.

In this case, Mann said, neither of those things happened.

Watson said she misunderstood what she should have done when filling out the election paperwork, when she checked the box indicating she had voted Democrat in the most recent primary. She explained that she has been involved in the party for years, but had taken a Republican ballot in the primary because there were more contested races and particular races she was passionate about.

“I was very up front with them that I voted Republican,” said Watson, referencing the party’s leadership.

She added that no one from the Democrat party informed her that she would need to have a certificate.

Watson, who currently works in the Jay County Auditor’s Office, filed Jan. 11 to run for the Democrat nomination for Dunkirk clerk-treasurer. Incumbent Democrat Tina Elliott filed three days later. No Republicans have filed to run for the office, though the local party leadership would have the option of slating a candidate following the primary.

On Thursday evening, Watson noted that she was a Democrat precinct committeeman who appointed Elliott to her current position. 

She added that she and her husband, Dan, have been involved in Democrat politics locally for years. (Dan served as mayor of Dunkirk as a Democrat from 2012 through 2015 and was previously a city council member.)

Both Kelly Watson and Elliott would be seeking election for the first time. Elliott was appointed Dunkirk clerk-treasurer by local Democrats shortly after the 2015 general election following Phonnie Kesler’s resignation. Kesler had resigned from office in August 2015, but at that point it was too late to remove her name from the ballot.

The election board that will decide on the challenge is made up of Republican Carmen Craig, Democrat Dominic Martyne and Eads. (Martyne was recently sworn in after previous Democrat representative Bart Darby resigned in order to run for mayor of Portland.)