(La Porte, IN) - The name of a LaPorte County Commissioner will not have his name returned to the May primary ballot after losing his appeal in court this past Thursday.
LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos upheld the February 23rd decision made by the La Porte County Election Board to remove Rich Mrozinski from the ballot over mistakes on his candidacy filing documents.
Mrozinski, a Republican, failed to place his initials on three spots of the paperwork.
Attorney Chris Willoughby, who was representing the election board, said county election boards are required by state law to remove a candidate from the ballot when mistakes are found on their filing documents. He also argued the placement of initials is clearly outlined under state law as “a must.”
“There’s no ambiguity to it. It’s clear. They were required to deny that filing,” he said.
Mrozinski’s attorney, Alan Sirinek, argued that the intent of the Indiana Legislature, historically, has always been for state election law to be viewed broadly to keep things like technicalities from keeping people wanting to run off the ballot. He said Mrozinski, basically, met the only requirement by voting as a Republican in the two previous Republican primaries.
Sirinek said that not properly initializing the documents was a minor, easy-to-correct mistake that fits within the parameters of what’s supposed to be a loose interpretation of the election law.
“The intention of the legislature is clear. We don’t want to disenfranchise voters,” he said.
Alevizos, though, pointed out that the mistakes were not corrected before the February 16th deadline to file candidacy papers. He also told Sirinek the burden of proof was on him to present a strong enough case to overturn the election board decision.
“Your burden is pretty high. I don’t think you’ve met it,” Alevizos said.
Alevizos did overturn the election board on the other reason it cited for removing Mrozinski from the ballot. The election board also disqualified Mrozinski for not being in good standing with the party.
The LaPorte County Republican Party Central Committee voted unanimously in September of 2022 to remove Mrozinski as an official party member following disputes with other Republicans and going back on his promise not to hire Shaw Friedman as county government attorney.
Sirinek said political parties have the authority to discipline members from within their own ranks but no right to keep someone running as a member of the same party from seeking an elected office.
Alevizos agreed, saying “I think we’ve come a long way from smoke-filled rooms of party decision-makers.”
LaPorte County Republican Party Chairman Allen Stevens, who petitioned to remove Mrozinski from the ballot, said he was pleased with the judge’s ruling.
“I’m happy justice was served,” he said.
Mrozinski can still run in the November general election against the May 7th primary winners from the Republican and Democratic parties, but only as a Libertarian or as an independent or write-in candidate, per La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens.
