The Starke County Election Board members held five candidate challenge hearings Tuesday morning that resulted in two removals from the 2022 May Primary Election ballot.
Challenges were brought forward against Cathy Hensell and Robert Hensell who have both filed for State Convention Delegate as a Republican candidate. They were both not present for the hearing. Cathy Hensell has voted in two previous Primary Elections as a Republican so the board voted unanimously to leave her on the ballot. However, Robert Hensell was found to not have voted in two previous Primary Elections as a Republican so the Starke County Election Board voted in favor of the challenger and his name was taken off the ballot.
A challenge was brought forward against Republican candidate Dennis Fornelli for Starke County Sheriff. According to the challenge, Fornelli had not voted in two Primary Elections as a Republican. Fornelli disputed that as he stated that he voted Republican in the 2020 Primary Election, but there was an issue and he had to sign paperwork in order for him to vote. The board members claimed there was no paperwork, no certificate of error found and no signature on the poll book so it appeared he did not vote in the 2020 Primary Election. Fornelli said it was poll worker error and there was a lot of confusion in the election especially with COVID, and he should be allowed to stay on the ballot. Fornelli also said that emails to Republican Chairman Dave Kesvormas were not answered about signing off on his Republican candidacy to run for sheriff, and that he did the same for other candidates running for other office. Fornelli added that he is a Republican in good standing. The board ruled by a 2-1 vote that Fornelli be taken off the ballot due to his prior voting record. Board members Bernadette Manuel and Chairman Marcia Bedrock voted in favor of the vote with Colleen Hodge abstaining from the vote.
There were several challenges brought forward against Tom DeCola, a Republican candidate running for Starke County Council District 4. The challenges were claiming that he has displayed behavior unbecoming of a candidate, he was removed from the ballot in 2020, a question about his campaign finance report, and that he was removed from the County Council District 4 seat in 2018 after he was elected into the position.
Challengers pointed out his published writing and social media posts that allegedly do not meet the standard of a candidate. DeCola objected to each challenge and commented that it was unfair and the challenger testimony was surprise and scandalous.
County Attorney Justin Schramm commented that, in this case, there are points of criteria that have to be met in order to remove him from the ballot. They are a candidate takes a bribe, a violation of federal laws, a jury previously found the candidate to be guilty by a trial or the candidate pleaded guilty in a case, the candidate is subject to the Hatch Act, and be a non-judicial court or work as a judicial officer. The board members could find no challenges that fit the criteria mentioned and they voted 2-1 to allow DeCola to remain on the ballot. Manuel was the opposing vote.
The last candidate challenge was Cassandra Hine. The challenge was denied because the challenge of how a candidate was treated during the last candidate challenge in 2020 by Hine was unfounded under state statute. Hine was allowed to stay on the ballot.
