Dennis Fornelli has filed the proper paperwork to appear on the November General Election ballot as an Independent candidate for Starke County Sheriff.
Fornelli was taken off the May Primary Election ballot following a challenge of his candidacy as a Republican candidate for sheriff. According to the challenge, Fornelli had not voted in two Primary Elections as a Republican. After testimony was given, the Starke County Election Board voted, by majority, to remove him from the ballot. He appealed the decision in a hearing before La Porte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos who upheld the decision of the Starke County Election Board.
Starke County Clerk Bernadette Welter Manuel stated in Wednesday morning’s Starke County Election Board meeting that all of the proper paperwork was filed by Fornelli in her office by the July 15 deadline, including 146 signatures needed to file as an Independent candidate on the November General Election ballot. Fornelli needed to have signatures that equal two percent of the total number of votes cast in Starke County during the 2018 General Election for Indiana Secretary of State. In this case, it totaled 146.
Fornelli joins Republican Jack Rosa and Democrat Kelly Fisher on the General Election ballot.
