Independent secretary of state candidate Greg Ballard plans to ask a Marion Superior Court judge to order the Indiana Election Commission to meet and consider campaign finance complaints involving two of his opponents.
Ballard, running under the Lincoln Party banner, argues that leaving the complaints unresolved while early voting is underway undermines equal enforcement of campaign finance rules. He says he is not asking the commission to find anyone in violation, only to convene and consider the matters. The complaints are allegations and no findings have been made.
One set of complaints concerns Republican Max Engling, including a $60,000 contribution from a nonprofit group affiliated with U.S. Sen. Jim Banks. State law caps corporate contributions to statewide candidates at $5,000 a year. Engling's campaign returned the contribution before a complaint was filed, according to the reporting.
Other complaints question whether events involving Democrat Beau Bayh should have been reported as in-kind contributions. Ballard says he will drop the planned lawsuit if the commission chair calls a meeting by Oct. 26. The four-member commission is evenly split between the parties, and its chair decides whether to call a meeting.
