The Porter County Election Board held campaign finance report hearings Thursday afternoon in an attempt to hold candidates accountable for failure to submit their campaign finance reports in a timely manner, correct identified errors, and/or pay related fines.
Candidates Mike Wallace, Amy Arney, Hannah Trueblood, Drew Wenger, and Jennifer McHargue all had issues with their pre-primary reports. McHargue, who is running as a Democrat for an at-large seat on the Burns Harbor Town Council, was the only one who showed up in person.
“I guess I didn’t know my form was wrong. Our mail was held because we were on vacation. I called right away,” she said upon receiving notice that her form had not been turned in on time by April 4. McHargue didn’t turn her form in until June 27, racking up a $1,000 fine along the way. The county charges $50 per day for late campaign finance forms, up to a maximum of $1,000. McHargue has since filed the form and made two corrections requested by the Elections & Registration Office.“I’m new to this. I guess I don’t have a reason,” McHargue said. Board Vice President Ethan Lowe said that while the board is sympathetic that she’s new to the process, “when you miss a deadline like this we have to take action.” He explained that costs are incurred by the election board when its staff has to spend time and legal counsel fees tracking down delinquent reports. In an effort to be fair, but still recoup some of those costs, Lowe made a motion to reduce her fine from $1,000 to $100 and the motion was passed unanimously by the four members present. Campaign finance reports are required three times a year, according to Porter County Election Board attorney Monica Conrad. Pre-primary election reports are filed in April, pre-general election reports are filed in October and annual reports are filed in January. Porter County Clerk Jessica Bailey said campaign finance reports are used to ensure “whether or not numbers add up, if donors are accurately described, if donations and expenditures are accurately described” and whether expenses are coded correctly. Conrad said Arney, who is also running as a Democrat for an at-large seat on the Burns Harbor Town Council, had voluntarily made payment of a $100 fine, but has failed to submit her missing report. Trueblood, who is the Democratic candidate for mayor of Valparaiso, and Wenger, a Democrat who lost a primary run for the District 3 seat on the city council but still has an open committee, handed their reports in, but late. They subsequently have $20 and $100 fines respectively and were required to show up in person at the hearing, but were both absent. Wallace, an uncontested Democratic candidate for Hebron Town Council District 2, has not submitted his form at all, and now owes a $100 fine. Conrad will issue fresh letters to Arney, Trueblood, Wenger, and Wallace requesting their presence at the next hearing. In other news, there was a tearful, gratified send-off to outgoing assistant director of Elections & Registration Becky Rauch who is leaving to take a position elsewhere. “I love every part of this job. I think you all know that, so obviously, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she said after receiving a bouquet of flowers at her last meeting.Board President Paul Rausch said he was grateful for Rauch’s professionalism. “You did a lot to help me personally,” he said. “I’m one of the new guys. You helped me a lot without yelling at me.” Kenard Taylor, executive director of the Porter County Republican Party and a consultant to the election board on campaign finance reports, said he has been working with Rauch weekly. “It has been an extreme pleasure working with Becky over the years. We are from two different parties. “I am going to miss working with her,” Taylor said. “It is such a pleasure to deal with someone who really wants to do the job and doesn’t care what the politics are.” Elections & Registration Director Sundae Schoon was in tears with Rauch through it all. “She’s more than a co-worker. She’s my best friend,” she said.
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